


Holding on Tight to You

by PSnowflake



Category: Frozen (Disney Movies)
Genre: Angst, F/F, Fluff, Plot, Post-Canon Fix-It, Sibling Incest, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-24
Updated: 2020-11-12
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:41:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 18
Words: 87,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22884160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PSnowflake/pseuds/PSnowflake
Summary: The heart seeks the truth, and no matter how great the distance between, the truth reveals itself inevitably. For Anna and Elsa, they'll soon find that the bonds between them are more powerful than they could ever imagine.
Relationships: Anna/Elsa (Disney)
Comments: 49
Kudos: 277





	1. Some Things Change

**All characters belong to Disney. I don't own anything**

* * *

The ticks of the grandfather clock seemed particularly deafening tonight, as the Queen of Arendelle stared blankly at the parchment in her hands.

It had been this way for the past hour.

For the fifth time this week, the redhead had decided to stay up late to complete unfinished paperwork, only to find herself yet again distracted by what had led it to be unfinished in the first place.

Anna had a track record for being distracted, but lately the queen on all occasions was found lost in her thoughts.

_How long had it been since her coronation?_

She should know. But time had a strange way of stretching in stressful times like these.

_Six months._

The crown on her head sat heavily as the monarch pondered the time lost since then.

What should've been the headline in that period of her life was hardly at the forefront of her mind.

When was the last time she had opened any of the congratulatory gifts from visiting dignitaries?

Or given a concise answer to the citizens regarding the wedding?

The wedding.

Kristoff had asked her to marry him.

It had been a long time coming and she vividly recalled the delight she had felt when he'd asked.

Whether that happiness had simply been residual from her reunion with a completely different person, she hadn't hesitated with her answer.

And yet with every approaching day into unsure possibility, the only thing that seemed to fill her heart whenever she saw him was guilt.

Guilt at what exactly?

For regretting her decision?

The redhead sighed for what was very likely the hundredth time that day, slamming her head onto the desk, her pile of unfinished paperwork tumbling down at the abrupt collision.

In moments like these she would think about her. She would recall those three years.

Three years of bliss and unadulterated comfort of finally having her back at her side.

But of course, good things never lasted forever. Especially when it came to _her_.

An uncontrollable force she had decided to label as fate, cruelly ripped apart that peace.

Athohallan.

An unforgettable journey.

They had gone through hell and back, and triumphantly restored the balance between the spirits and the human world.

The townspeople had said it well; a tale that would be passed down for generations. A happy ending for the many trials that the gods had placed on the royal family.

A happy ending...

_Then why did it still hurt so damn much?_

The pain had started as something subtle.

A silent knife.

Elsa had come back to the castle every week to visit her, and for a while, she could pretend that everything had remained the same.

She ignored the silent voices that told her to confront her sister.

The hurt from Elsa pushing her away still there like a fresh opened wound.

Elsa had promised that they would do it together.

And yet despite that promise, the blonde had endeavored alone, approaching the open dangers of the dark sea without her, leaving her behind yet again.

And then she had lost her. Really lost her.

Elsa had died.

And that reality had broken her.

It was for that very reason, that the redhead was afraid to bring up Elsa's actions.

It was unlike Anna, to hide her feelings.

But the alternative of pushing Elsa further away scared her more than she would've liked to believe. The blonde had already pushed her away once. She could not handle the same result again.

And so she ignored it, silenced the whispers that spoke hurt.

And replaced it with action that was expressed in the form of forward physical affection.

Their touches would last longer.

Rather than their routine hugs, Anna would caress her sister's cheek, pressing their foreheads together tenderly.

"I love you."

It was a sentiment she had uttered to the older girl on numerous occasions before.

Yet, now it was stated with something akin to desperation.

A need.

A silent plea.

And if Elsa had heard it, the blonde made no indication of understanding her.

Her eyes seemed...sad almost.

The knife plunged deeper.

"Elsa, what's wrong?"

Anna knew her sister. Or at least she felt she had. The three years of being back together had opened her world in seeing what kind of person Elsa was.

But staring into the gentle blue orbs of the blonde, seeing tears form in those beautiful eyes, Anna was truly lost.

Elsa rubbed the tears away, and moved forward to embrace her younger sister.

"Nothing. Nothing at all."

That had been four months ago.

Elsa had started visiting less and less.

Every time Anna would attempt to ask if anything was wrong, the blonde would avert the discussion, rather very focused on how Anna was dealing with her transition into Queen Reagent.

Anna could honestly care less about the prestige of ruling.

She loved her people, but she never imagined that she would be queen one day. For god's sake, Elsa was the perfect picture of sophisticated grace. It inspired her at how adept the blonde was at handling the major tasks and even the subtleties of ruling. She had worked herself studiously to serve Elsa better as her right hand, and only dreamed of one day having the same poise as her sister did.

But now that she was here. It didn't feel right.

A part of her was convinced that she was simply ruling till Elsa returned.

Whether she would, Anna didn't know.

It was out of respect that Anna had made no qualms on Elsa's decision to live in Northuldra. It was out of love that she had been happy for her new role as the fifth spirit.

But a very childish side of her argued with the notion.

Why couldn't she be protector of the realm in Arendelle?

At home.

With her.

Was she that much of a burden?

_"What did I do...?"_

_She hadn't meant for it to slip out._

_Maybe it was just a feeling._

_Just a hunch, that Elsa wouldn't come back after this time._

_Maybe it was the fact that Elsa wouldn't look her in the eye._

_Or how she seemed to be shaking._

_Or how she flinched away from her touch._

_Just a hunch._

_But seeing her sister once again mounted on Nokk, prepared to ride away from what they had called home, desperation gripped the redhead with a fervor she hadn't been prepared for._

_Elsa looked with a heavy heart towards Anna, struggling with the words to say._

_The doors between them seemingly more present than ever as the silence persisted._

_And then finally, she looked away._

_"I'm sorry."_

_It was barely above a whisper, but it stuck mercilessly to Anna. With a heavy heart she watched Elsa ride off further and further into the fjord._

Now it had been exactly two months since she last heard from or saw Elsa.

She would've been worried sick if not for the blatant truth continuously stabbing at her heart.

The knife had sunk its full length, bringing forth relentless sorrow along its edge.

_Can't you see?_

_You don't mean anything._

_She left you._

_You're not needed anymore._

At that last thought, Anna finally broke into tears.

Her sobs wracking her body in an almost painful way, as her silent plea whispered helplessly in the empty confines of her office.

"Elsa...come back..."

* * *

"You know Sven..."

Kristoff looked to his right to continue speaking to his reindeer companion, only to find that he had been pacing the castle halls by himself.

_Oh yeah, that's right..._

It had been six months since he officially became a resident of the castle, but even then he still wasn't used to Sven not always being at his side.

Now that he was engaged with Anna, residing in the stables was apparently no longer acceptable.

He would never admit it out loud, but he missed sleeping on his haystack.

It was late, half past midnight to be precise.

Anna had told him at dinner that she would be busy with paperwork tonight, so it was unlikely she would have time to speak with him.

Not that she ever was available.

Lately it almost felt like she was avoiding him.

The past two months had demonstrated a rather dismal transformation for the young queen.

She had become so distant. Most of her time was spent in her office.

But the most striking was her disposition.

The fiery attitude that Kristoff fell in love with in the first place seemed to have disappeared.

He rarely saw her smile anymore.

Despite the frustration from the redhead refusing to open up to him about it, Kristoff had done everything in his power to try to remain optimistic.

'Trying' being more accurate of a description than actually 'being'.

No matter how hard he tried to convince himself otherwise, the doubt always seemed to find its way back.

It wasn't the responsibilities for being married to the queen that had his confidence wavering.

Sure they were intimidating, very intimidating.

Heck, he was going to be the prince consort.

A noble.

People who didn't exactly have a history of sleeping in stables.

But adapting to circumstance was well within his capabilities.

No, it wasn't the responsibilities. He would do anything to make Anna happy. Even if it meant wearing constricting outfits for the remainder of his life.

And yet as clear cut as that desire may have seemed, that in itself was the problem.

What was the point of all of it, when the object of his affections wasn't happy?

When _Anna_ wasn't happy.

Kristoff found himself at the doors of her office. Though the redhead had asked for privacy, the former ice harvester always seemed to gravitate towards here by the end of the night.

It would be the last destination before he headed to his chambers for rest.

Just to bid her goodnight.

Kristoff knocked on the wooden doors, waiting for permission to come in. When no such response was given, the blonde gently pushed the doors open to peek inside.

He smiled softly at the sight before him.

Anna had fallen asleep amidst her work, face lying on parchment in what was clearly an uncomfortable position.

She had been working so hard to fulfill her accession to the throne, and Kristoff knew why she had made such an effort. Anna was always a hard worker, but for this she pushed herself endlessly to exceed expectations.

It was for Elsa.

It was always for Elsa.

Kristoff strode around the desk and, gently, picked Anna up behind her shoulders and knees.

As the blonde paced towards the royal chambers, he couldn't help but notice how light she felt.

Well, she always seemed rather light.

But now especially.

He wondered if she was eating alright.

Kristoff entered the large bedroom with Anna still curled up against his chest. Now that he took a good look, he realized with a pang that this was the first time he had been in Anna's room.

Or was it Elsa's?

Maybe both of theirs?

Either way he and Anna did not share a bed, as the latter had stated quite adamantly that she wasn't ready for that level of intimacy yet.

At this point, he wondered if she would ever be ready.

Gingerly, Kristoff moved his hand to pull back the sheets, and he set Anna down and tucked her in.

The blonde smiled one last time, and turned to leave the queen to her much needed sleep, but stopped in his tracks when he heard a whimper escape the redhead's lips.

It didn't take long for that whimper to transition into a fit of tossing and turning, and soon Kristoff realized quite alarmingly that Anna was having a nightmare.

The redhead started screaming, arms thrashing back and forth, and it took all of Kristoff's will to not breakdown and panic at the situation.

"Anna! _Anna!_ Wake up!" The blonde called, desperately, gripping Anna's shoulders.

Anna awoke with a start, the cry died in her throat as she looked at Kristoff with unfocused and fearful eyes.

"...Elsa?"

Kristoff's heart plummeted, but he forced himself to swallow the knot in his throat.

_Always Elsa._

"No, it's just me. It's just Kristoff." He replied softly.

"Oh..." Anna looked away quickly, but even in the dark Kristoff could easily make out the disappointment in the realization.

"Are you alright?"

Anna didn't answer.

Her shoulders were trembling, still quite shaken up at the trauma she had just experienced.

"Anna-"

"I'm fine...just...just leave me alone. Please.." Her voice was shaky and clearly out of breath.

Kristoff was not surprised by the dismissal, but it still didn't hurt any less.

With a sigh, the blonde nodded and made his way to the door, but not before stopping one last time to turn towards the redhead.

"Promise we'll talk tomorrow?"

Anna didn't look at him, and for a second Kristoff thought she might not respond, but the young queen nodded after a brief silence.

Kristoff closed the doors behind him and collapsed to the floor.

The doors were supposedly soundproof, but the blonde could clearly make out the sobs of his fiancée through the wooden barrier.

And with that, Kristoff had decided.

Tomorrow.

* * *

Morning found Anna way too early.

The sun had barely peaked over the horizon, as the harbors were still empty of its workers and the market had just begun to bustle.

Despite the soreness in her eyes from all the crying, the queen could not bring herself to fall back asleep.

Sometimes she would imagine filing a decree that mandated her brain to fall asleep per her orders.

But such was not the case of the human body.

Luckily her schedule was not so full this morning.

She laid there for what was half an hour before recalling with dread, the events that had transpired no more than a couple hours ago.

She had a nightmare.

A vivid one at that too, as the blankets she was enveloped in, were still tangled helplessly amongst her limbs.

Dreams typically were not easy to remember for Anna.

But the details of this one latched onto her like a root.

Reluctantly, the events of the nightmare played back in her mind.

* * *

_It was beautiful, drawing in the scenery before her._

_Kristoff and Sven were with her. Olaf too._

_Their entire family._

_Her only family._

_Not a single person more, not a single less._

_They had been enjoying a picnic out by the pumpkin patches, the verdant atmosphere bringing nothing but smiles to the group._

_Everyone important in her life was there with her._

_Peace._

_Such peace._

_It was all Anna could feel as she lay next to her fiancé, hands held between them._

_They were staring together at the sky, playing a game of haphazardly naming cloud shapes into recognizable, tangible objects or animals._

_In the distance, Olaf had composed another musical composition, the topic this time seemingly about pumpkins, and was now singing it to Sven at what could be described as a robust performance._

_A comfortable silence passed between the couple._

_"Hey Anna." Kristoff started._

_"Hm..?"_

_The blonde shifted to look at her. "I was thinking...when we have kids in the future-"._

_Kristoff paused._

_"I mean, IF we have kids in the future." He corrected. "What would you name our first?"_

_Anna smirked. "And here I thought, I was the one that's always in a rush."_

_Kristoff looked away with embarrassment. "I was just wondering. You don't have to answer."_

_Anna hummed. She was honestly in such a relaxed state that her mind didn't seem capable of coming up with an honest answer._

_But for some very mysterious reason, a name effortlessly found its way to her lips._

_"Elsa." Anna answered._

_The blonde raised an eyebrow. "Elsa? Where'd that come from?"_

_"Don't be silly Kristoff. You know, Elsa, My-"_

_My what..._

_Who was she thinking of?_

_She didn't have any friends outside the castle..._

_Probably because most of her socializing was spent with a talking snowman that she had built with her sis-_

_Images flashed through her mind like lightning._

_Ice_

_Platinum blonde hair_

_Beautiful_

_**Sister.** _

_A heartbeat, and all the memories returned to her in an instant._

_The childhood incident._

_The coronation._

_The eternal winter._

_Athohallan._

_Anna's blood turned cold as she suddenly felt like she was in the wrong place._

_She was brought out of her daze by the voice next to her._

_"No seriously, Anna. Who's Elsa?" Kristoff asked again._

_Anna stared at the blonde._

_"My sister."_

_Kristoff looked at her with wide eyes. "You have a sister?"_

_Anna could not believe what she was hearing._

_"Kristoff! Of course I have a sister. Elsa! My older sister- your former queen! Please tell me you're just kidding. Don't you remember her ice powers? She built Olaf!"_

_The moment she saw the lost look in his eyes, Anna knew something was very wrong._

_"What are you talking about? We found Olaf on our trip to the North Mountain remember? When we first met you had told me that reaching the peak of the mountain had always been one of your childhood dreams, and that's when we met Olaf." Kristoff tried to reason with the redhead._

_No. That couldn't be right._

_"Anna, are you alright? You're not ill are-"_

_Before the blonde could finish, the redhead had already begun sprinting back towards the castle._

_Please._

_Raw adrenaline filled her veins as she vaulted through the gates and practically flung the entrance doors open._

_Her eyes fell on a familiar servant._

_"Gerda!" Anna grabbed the shoulders of said servant, startling the fellow handmaiden._

_"You scared the living heavens out of me, dear! What has you in such a rush?"_

_"Where's Elsa?" Anna questioned, eyes betraying not the slightest amount of seriousness from the situation._

_Gerda gave her a confused look. "I'm sorry your majesty, who? Is there a noble staying in the castle that I'm not aware of?"_

_No._

_No No No..._

_Without a beat of delay, Anna bolted towards the royal chambers, ignoring the concerned shouts of her head servant._

_She had walked this route so many times in her life, but never before had her heart been pounding with such an intensity as this moment._

_Anna rounded the corner._

_Her eyes met her target on the wall._

_Before now, the portrait had always reminded her of completeness._

_A time when everything was fair and just._

_The nurturing presence of their parents._

_When she had learned of their deaths, she thought that losing that piece of her heart would be the greatest intensity of pain she would ever experience, as it was her first loss._

_But the sharpness in her chest at the sight before her now had her thinking otherwise._

_On the wall was a family portrait of three._

_The king_

_The queen_

_And a princess with pigtails._

**_Stop._ **

_Anna whipped her head to the second portrait adjacent to the first._

_Hopeful she still was, the rational side of her already knew what she would find._

_A portrait of four_

_An ice harvester_

_A reindeer_

_A snowman_

_And..._

_A queen with pigtails._

_Elsa was gone._

_Anna felt nausea rise in the form of bile in her throat._

_Whipping around, the redhead opened the doors behind her, desperate to find any proof of her sister's existence._

_But instead of the bedroom that was supposed to be there, Anna was met by biting cold and a massive expanse of ice._

_Suddenly she wasn't in the castle._

_She turned around, and the doors she had walked through had vanished._

_She was in a cavern._

_A cavern of ice._

_How...?_

_Anna took notice of a figure at the center of the cavern._

_A statue to be more precise._

_A statue of ice._

_A rather familiar one._

_Her heart stopped at the recognition._

_"Elsa!" Anna darted towards the center._

_The redhead cupped the cheeks of her frozen sister desperately. "No, No, No!"_

_**You're too late.** _

_Without warning, the ice encasing Elsa began to crack._

_"NO! Elsa, wake up!" Anna felt tears beginning to form._

_**Can't you see?** _

_**You don't mean anything** _ _._

_More cracks started forming to the point where her sister's beautiful face was no longer recognizable._

_"Please, Elsa! Don't leave me!" Anna started sobbing and embraced her sister._

_**She left you.** _

_No._

_**You're not needed anymore.** _

_Stop it._

_**Goodbye.** _

_And then, the structure crumbled. Elsa disintegrated into particles of ice, blown away by the sweeping cold._

Anna awoke with a scream.

* * *

Breakfast had done nothing to calm the redhead's anxiety.

She would have to speak to Kristoff, apologize for her behavior.

She had kicked him out of her room when the blonde had simply been there to comfort her. Had carried her to bed too.

Anna realized with a wince at how hurt he must've felt.

Yes. She would apologize.

And they could forget about it, and go back to the way things were.

_Right?_

Anna took a deep breath, before knocking gently on Kristoff's bedroom door.

No response came.

Maybe he wasn't in the castle.

After that incident, she probably wouldn't want to be around herself either.

Anna was pulled out of her lamenting, as the door opened and the blonde in question stood before her.

She looked away. "Hey."

"Hey." Kristoff replied softly.

An awkward silence passed between the pair.

"About last night-"

"If it's about last night-

They started simultaneously. The two stared at each other in embarrassment at the other's interruption.

"L-let me just go first." Anna said before he could interrupt her again.

Kristoff nodded.

Anna took a deep breath before looking back up at the blonde to speak. "I'm sorry about last night, Kristoff. I shouldn't have pushed you away. You were only there because you cared, and I shut you out. So I'm sorry."

She couldn't make eye contact with the him for the next part. "And...I'm sorry for the way I've been acting. I'll stop. I've been very childish by keeping myself holed up. You deserve better, and I'm sorry for waiting so long. W-we should talk about our wedding date. I think it should be this upcoming spring-"

"Stop." Kristoff interrupted her.

"What?"

"Just stop." His tone wasn't angry, just very determined to get the redhead to stop talking.

Kristoff sighed and looked away. He had prepared a rather long speech in his mind for this talk, but now that she was in front of him, it seemed all but forgotten.

He looked back towards Anna.

Her expression was professional. A work in practice. It was the same one that she taught herself to put on in the presence of other royalty.

But Kristoff saw past the facade.

The sadness in her eyes was always there, always there to taint the redhead's bubbly spirit.

And as long as he lived, the ice harvester vowed to never let it show on her face again.

With a new found resolve, Kristoff steered his gaze and spoke. "Anna, I love you. I love you with my heart and soul. All the moments I've spent with you have made me so happy. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, and I want us to get married."

Anna's stomach dropped.

"Kristoff, I-"

The blonde cut her off with a finger to her lips.

"I _want_ us to get married..."

He smiled sadly.

"But I can't marry you."

Anna opened her mouth in disbelief, the redhead certainly hadn't been expecting that response.

Kristoff reached for her hand and gently caressed each individual finger, ingraining all the details of her touch to his mind.

Was he really doing this?

_Yes._

"You know...after I saw you risk your life for Elsa on the fjord three years ago. I had doubts that we would work out. Yet, we stayed together, and the three years that you, Elsa, Olaf, Sven and I shared ended up being the happiest three years of my life. We were a family. I saw myself fulfilling a role that I was personally perfectly fine with."

"I would never be the most important person in your life. It was always Elsa, and will always be Elsa. And I was okay with that."

Kristoff ran his hand through fiery red locks.

"But now I see that it was never about me."

The redhead's eyes brimmed with unshed tears as she realized what this was leading up to.

"I thought that if all of us stuck together, that you and I could get married one day, as long as Elsa was by your side."

Kristoff smiled knowingly.

"But I guess you don't see how important someone is to you until they're gone."

The tears were now flowing freely down Anna's face.

"Elsa is the most important person to you. But it's more than that. You two are each other's happiness. You bring each other up, and I now see what needs to be done to make things right."

A final push, and Kristoff bid farewell.

"I'm breaking up with you, Anna."

And with that, the queen rushed forward and embraced her best friend.

Anna sobbed openly into Kristoff's chest.

It just wasn't fair.

"I'm sorry...I'm so so sorry." The redhead apologized over and over again.

Kristoff smiled and rubbed her back soothingly.

They stayed that way for a while, in each other's arms, Anna crying all the way through, mumbling her apologies and regrets to the blonde.

Though the pain would last, Kristoff's heart felt lighter than ever before.

Anna's cries finally died down, and the pair split apart.

She gave Kristoff a grateful look.

"Go find her. Bring her home." Kristoff said with a smile.

She nodded resolutely and ran forward to hug the blonde one last time.

He hugged her back.

"No matter what happens, we'll always be family, Anna."

Anna could not be more grateful.

* * *

The quiet waves of Arendelle harbor whisked silently in the night, as a certain watchman patrolled purposefully at the top of the castle gates.

Sir Hugh took night watch very seriously.

It was his job.

Surveil and protect the castle grounds from any potential intruders.

And he would do it well.

There was no one as alert and attentive.

No one better for the job than himself.

Yet in all of his vigilance, tonight the gods must have been against him, as he failed to notice a certain redhead and her horse ride away from the castle grounds.


	2. The Doors to My Heart

**Six months ago**

Everything had gone so wrong.

_She had been careless._

_She had gone too far._

_And in the moments before she had frozen in Athohallan…_

_All she was able to see..._

_...was Anna._

"We did this together...and we'll continue to do this together."

_She had been so afraid._

Elsa pressed her forehead to hers.

_Afraid that she would never be able to see her again._

But staring into the warmth of her sister's tender gaze, reunited with the one who believed in her more than anyone else in the world. The one who had suffered for her. The one who had saved her time and time again...

Elsa couldn't help but smile.

"Together..." Anna breathed.

They had done it.

Pulling her sister's body closer to her own, Elsa fell deeper into the teal of Anna's eyes, trying to convey the thoughts held in her mind.

_I want to apologize._

_I want you to know how important you are to me._

_And..._

_I want to stay with you forever._

_I love you, Anna._

_...will you forgive me?_

Anna couldn't read minds, but that was okay.

She would tell her, eventually.

There was no rush.

They had all the time in the world now.

After all, as she had told Olaf, there would be no more surprises.

"Actually, there is one more thing."

Kristoff fell to one knee.

And Elsa's heart stopped.

"Anna..."

_It had been three years._

"You are the most extraordinary person I've ever known"

_She should've seen this coming._

"I love you with all I am."

_But even if she did..._

"Will you marry me?"

_What could she have done?_

"Yes!"

Anna choked out a happy sob, and ran forward to embrace Kristoff.

Happiness was confusing.

Elsa had thought that the past three years was happiness.

That the moment she had just shared with Anna was happiness.

But as the blonde stared silently at the embraced couple, Elsa couldn't help but think differently.

Anna looked so _happy_. So _happy_ in his arms.

So _happy_ that she was growing up. So _happy_ to move on to the next phase of her life with Kristoff.

_Are you happy with me?_

Eyes still brimming with joy, Anna turned and ran towards her, and Elsa suddenly found it really hard to smile.

She was her sister, and in this moment, she _needed_ to be happy for her.

_Be happy for her._

She was brought back to _that_ night...

The night where it all started.

" _You'll always have me." The redhead promised._

Oh Anna...

A single tear fell as she hugged her sister.

She had promised to never lie to her again.

To never shut her out again.

But this time…

She didn't have a choice.

"I'm so happy for you."

* * *

Elsa had come back to visit for the first time.

She had decided that she would start living in Northuldra.

It had only been a week, but that time apart from her sister had been hard on her, having gotten accustomed to being together with Anna for three straight years.

She would get used to it.

She _had_ to.

Kristoff and Anna were getting married after all.

A new chapter.

Anna would be a wonderful ruler, and with the support of Kristoff, they would lead Arendelle to a bright future, more than she herself ever could.

Modesty was a trait she exhibited openly, but for this, Elsa meant it from the bottom of her heart.

The redhead may be inexperienced, but her courage and her kind heart more than made up for it.

And besides, with Anna ruling, she could focus on protecting the forest now...

The forest that was now at peace…

…with no need of protection.

Frankly, it didn't make too much sense.

_That doesn't matter._

_This is what's best for Arendelle._

_And...what's best for Anna._

_What I want..._

_...is irrelevant_

She would just have to ignore the frustrating pain in her heart.

Elsa didn't want to have to bring it out again. But a mantra was still a mantra.

The words she had rehearsed in her mind time and time again made its way to her lips.

" _Conceal, don't feel."_

* * *

They were having breakfast earlier that day. Anna had per usual taken control of the conversation, going on and on about the difficulties of filling out paperwork, which had Elsa smiling amusedly.

The redhead would clearly need some time to get used to her new work schedule.

"I don't get how you do it Elsa, it's just sooooo boring." Anna groaned.

Elsa smiled comfortingly.

"You'll get used to it. I thought you loved reading?"

Anna opened her mouth to argue. "That's different! I like reading important things, like history, architecture, and literature!"

"So politics and managing the economy are not important then?" Elsa's eyes filled with amusement.

Anna looked away shamefully.

"I'm not saying they're not important..it's just...ugh" She finished lamely.

"They don't excite you?" Elsa offered.

Anna jumped up at that. "Yes, exactly!"

Elsa giggled at their exchange. She could always count on Anna to lighten her mood.

The blonde reached for her sister's hand.

"They don't excite me either Anna, but someone has to do it." She said as she drew comforting circles in her sister's palm.

"So I guess it's my turn then..."

Elsa's heart clenched at that.

"I'll be here to help you every step of the way, and your advisors are more than happy to assist you as well." She offered.

"I'd rather just listen to you..." The younger girl whispered softly.

Elsa failed to pick up on what Anna had said and was about to ask the redhead, but was interrupted by the loud groan of the dining hall doors being opened.

Kristoff had walked in then.

Now living in the castle, the taller blonde was more than welcome to partake in their meals.

"Good morning, Elsa. Welcome back." Kristoff gave her a friendly wave.

Elsa smiled back. "Thank you, Kristoff. Have you been enjoying the castle so far?"

"Of course! It's still hard to get used to though." Kristoff rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

"How so? The castle staff would be more than happy to make accommodations for you."

Kristoff waved his hands frantically, "It's nothing physical really! Everything about the castle is great. It's just that..."

He sighed.

"I've lived most of my life barely getting by and living in stables. To have a plentiful life given to me by the people I care about, it's a lot to take in, and I'm just really grateful."

Elsa's heart softened at his sharing.

_He really is a good guy._

The taller blonde then made her way to Anna, and leaned down to press his lips to the redhead's.

After breaking apart, Kristoff whispered affectionately.

"Good morning, _my love_."

A surge of violence suddenly invaded her thoughts and startled Elsa.

At that moment, she had wanted nothing more than to freeze the ice harvester's head off.

It would've been easy.

With just a wave of her hand.

_What is wrong with me?_

Kristoff was her friend.

A good person...had she completely forgotten what the man had just opened up to her about.

How could she even think about harming him?

Elsa shook her head mentally, and after apologizing to Anna for leaving early, dismissed herself from the table.

She needed to clear her mind.

* * *

"Elsa! There you are. I've been trying to find you all morning." Anna bounded cheerfully over to the garden bench where the blonde had been sitting.

Elsa forced a smile.

"I was just getting some fresh air."

It wasn't entirely false.

In truth, she had been hiding. Her thoughts earlier from breakfast still disturbed her immensely.

Why had she wanted to harm Kristoff?

It almost felt like...

She was jealous...

Like he had stolen something that she thought was hers.

It made her sick.

Kristoff had been nothing but good to her.

She felt like she should apologize, but that would just confuse the blonde.

Maybe she should talk to him anyway.

Thank him for sharing his feelings with her earlier.

Elsa was pulled out of her thoughts as she felt Anna join her on the bench and cuddle up next to her.

Before, the close proximity would have never bothered her.

They did this all the time.

But something had clearly changed.

Ever since Kristoff had proposed...

Something deep within her had awakened and it was becoming more apparent by the day.

All the details just seemed _that_ much more obvious to her now.

Anna...

God she was so beautiful.

The way her auburn hair practically glowed in the afternoon sun.

The way her dress hugged her womanly curves so enticingly

And those eyes...

God those eyes...

Radiating liquid warmth at her, like she was the only person in the world that mattered.

She needed this.

She needed to lean forward and taste her.

She needed to feel the touch of her fair skin on her own.

She needed to know what laid beyond that fine line of fragility between them.

She needed...

She needed to stop.

It had been opportune timing as Anna had taken notice of a fellow duckling that had made its way to the bench.

"Aww, did you want to cuddle too little guy?" The redhead gushed, as she bent down to pick up the little creature.

"I need to go pee!" Elsa practically shouted as she shot up from the bench, desperate for any excuse to get away from her sister before she did something stupid.

Anna giggled at her sister's uncharacteristic word choice.

"Okay, well Mr. Fuzzy and I will get to know each other while we wait for you." Anna said as she nuzzled the little duckling.

_And now she was getting jealous of a duck_

Elsa made her way into the halls out of her sister's view and then slapped herself.

_What_

_Is_

_Wrong with me?_

"Get ahold of your, Elsa." She chastised.

_Conceal, don't feel remember?_

_...don't let it show._

Okay.

She was going to go wash up.

And get ahold of herself.

She would go back out there afterward, and interact with her sister.

_Normally._

Elsa took a deep breath, and cleared her mind as she entered her washroom.

_It won't happen again._

* * *

It happened again.

Every week to be precise.

Two months had passed, and each visit was proving harder for Elsa to deal with these feelings.

She had developed a system of sorts as a countermeasure.

It wasn't exactly a system more so than just refusal on her part to initiate any physical contact.

She prayed that Anna would do the same, but of course that was never the case. The redhead was a specialist when it came to physical affection.

But even with all the hugs and nuzzles for each of her visits back, Elsa had been able to refrain herself from...doing whatever it was that she wanted to do with her sister.

But this...

This would prove to be too much.

Despite the redhead's claim of "never being too old for sleepovers", Elsa knew that the physical proximity from sleeping with Anna would undoubtedly lead to a mistake on her part.

"Elsa, come on! We've slept together the past three years all the time. How are things different now?" Anna whined.

_Very different._

_Before, I didn't have the every second need to…_

_Kiss you..._

Thought that wasn't exactly true was it?

Deep down she knew.

She had always been...attracted.

But she had convinced herself that it was simply a byproduct of not seeing her sister for thirteen years.

That it was normal...

And before she knew it she had believed her own lie.

Three years of indulging herself in her sister's touch, relishing the attention.

Convinced that the powerful yearning to always be around the redhead was merely an aspect of sisterhood.

And all it took was a proposal, for that falsehood to crumble.

_How could I have been so blind?_

Whatever this was...

She didn't want to think about it.

She would worry about it later, right now, she needed an excuse to avoid this sleepover.

"I'm tired, Anna. And you know I'm a light sleeper." Elsa attempted at reasoning.

"That's okay! I won't bother you, I promise. Pinky promise!"

The redhead extended her pinky, hoping to convince her older sister.

Elsa raised an eyebrow.

"I'm sure you know, but you're not exactly peaceful when you sleep, with all the fits and snoring." The blonde reminded.

"I only snore sometimes! And I don't move in my sleep!" Anna defended.

The blonde smirked.

"Mhmmm...so I can attribute the blankets always being pulled off of me as the actions of a ghost?"

Anna blushed in embarrassment.

"It wasn't on purpose.." The young queen mumbled.

Elsa giggled at her sister's flustered state.

She just couldn't help herself.

Not when Anna was looking at her with those wide and hopeful eyes.

_So cute._

Elsa sighed and relented, reaching out with her hand and wrapping her sister's pinky around her own.

"Fine, I'll sleep with you."

"Really?" Anna's face lit up.

"Really."

Anna squealed, "You're the best, Elsa!"

The redhead hopped into the bed and patted the space next to her, inviting Elsa to join her.

_It'll be okay._

_We're sisters._

_Just sisters._

Elsa made herself comfortable next to Anna, noticeably putting a marginal amount of distance between them at the same time.

As long as she wasn't actually touching her, she would be fine.

Anna didn't seem to like that.

Without warning, the redhead closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around Elsa's waist.

"Anna...!"

"Don't do that..." Anna whispered into her neck.

"Anna, what do you-"

Elsa was interrupted by the sight of tears in the redhead's eyes.

"I love you, Elsa." Anna said.

Elsa had no words for the raw display of emotion before her.

Before she had a chance to recover, Anna pressed her forehead to hers as she felt the caress of the redhead's hand on her cheek.

"I love you." She repeated.

Warm.

So warm.

Not from their bodies being so close.

But from the fierce determination in her sister's eyes.

It spoke more powerfully than her actual words

_I need you._

With a shocking comprehension, Elsa finally understood.

She finally understood how this came to be.

This was love.

_Love._

Not the love she was familiar with.

She always loved Anna.

But this...

The same love that was in the fairy tales she had read as a child.

The same love that her mother and father shared.

The same love that _Kristoff_ felt for _Anna._

Of course.

_This is happiness._

And with a heart wrenching pang, Elsa's reality became painfully clear.

_But I can't have it._

"Elsa? What's wrong?" Anna asked, eyes filled with concern.

_Everything…_

_I'm so sorry, Anna._

The lie came to her naturally now.

"Nothing, nothing at all."

* * *

"I love you."

_Anna..._

"I love you, Elsa."

_Please..._

"I need you."

_Go away..._

"Elsa, please tell me what's wrong."

_I don't want to hurt you._

* * *

Elsa mounted Nokk near the edge of the fjord, before looking back towards the castle.

She really shouldn't have snuck out.

Anna would be furious to know that she had left without saying goodbye.

But she was afraid.

Afraid that if she was in the presence of the redhead any longer, if she had to look at the disappointment in her sister's eyes any more...

She wouldn't have the strength to leave.

It was her fault, really.

She had to fall in love.

With her sister of all people...

"Why didn't you tell me you were leaving?"

Elsa yelped in surprise at the sudden voice next to her, startling Nokk.

So caught up in her thoughts, the blonde hadn't noticed Anna trailing her the entire time.

Now caught red-handed, Elsa's heart filled with shame.

As if it hadn't already been full of it.

Anna stood there silently, waiting for Elsa to answer her.

"I just..." Elsa's voice caught in her throat.

She was suffocating.

Both from the lack of her own breathing, and the heavy weight of her sin bearing down on her.

Why couldn't things just be normal?

Her eyes began welling with unshed tears.

"Elsa..."

Anna reached for her hand, and Elsa panicked.

She flinched away from her touch, immediately regretting it afterward.

The younger girl's eyes filled with hurt, and the crestfallen expression tore Elsa's heart open.

"What did I do...?" Anna whispered.

_No!_

_No no no..._

_It's not you._

_Never you._

_Can't you see?_

_It's ME._

Realization dawned on Elsa.

_It's because of...me._

_Whenever you're sad...it's always because of me._

Elsa's heart broke.

_I just can't stop hurting you..._

Vision blurred with tears, the blonde yanked on the reigns.

"I'm sorry..."

Nokk picked up speed, taking her further and further away from the broken form of her sister.

The surface of the fjord froze over, leaving behind a regretful trail of ice between them.

Even after fifteen years, nothing had changed.

Elsa had closed the doors on Anna again.

To protect her.

But rather than the dangers of her powers.

This time...

It was from herself.

* * *

**Present Day**

The stillness of snow and winter foliage throughout Northuldra was quite similar to that of the North Mountain. Though the former didn't have a giant palace of ice at its center, numerous tents and campfires were set up, bustling with activity to welcome the morning sun.

It was early, but the Northuldran always started the day off with morning hunts. Cries of excitement could be heard, as the young children were more than eager to partake in the activity with their elders.

Deeper within the forest, the sunlight found its way through the windows of a lone cottage, shining brightly on a certain pale face.

Elsa groaned, clearly still groggy from her few hours of attained rest.

She had returned late last night.

The blonde sat up from her bed and rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

_How late did I get back?_

Her brief trip to Athohallan had proven to be...unsuccessful.

She had cried.

She had hoped that in her despair, that the rivers of memory would answer her call.

But a memory was a memory, they did not speak for the issues of the present.

And her echoes for help had been left unanswered within the glaciar walls.

_Mother…_

_What am I going to do...?_

Two months of isolation had done little to abate her feelings.

She missed her.

Elsa laughed deprecatingly.

That was no surprise.

She had been such a fool.

Six months ago she had reasoned with herself that her new role as the fifth spirit would help her get over Anna.

That perhaps this new sense of purpose would guide her.

And maybe find her...happiness.

Oh the irony.

Anna was her purpose _and_ her happiness.

And she had ruined all of it.

She couldn't go back.

Not until she rid herself from this perverse desire.

Would she ever be able to face Anna?

Elsa felt tears begin to well up at the thought of never seeing her sister again, but stopped herself from letting them fall.

She had cried enough.

The intrusive sound of knocking proved to be the distraction she needed.

Even so...

She usually didn't have visitors.

Mostly due to the fact that she had requested to be left alone.

Elsa rose from her bed and walked towards the door.

It was probably Yelana, a problem with the forest perhaps?

Though that was unlikely, the forest had exhibited no strange behavior the past half year. The spirits had been nothing but peaceful.

Maybe Honeymaren or Ryder then, to again invite her for a ride with their fellow reindeer.

She didn't know how many times she had to turn them down.

No matter what speculation she had conjured on who her guest could be, nothing could have prepared the blonde from the overwhelming shock for the person standing before her.

"Anna?"


	3. The Key to Your Heart

Anna had always grown up loving exploration.

After Elsa had closed herself off, the younger royal often found herself in the library with the intention to pass off time.

The rows and rows of books that held knowledge of the unknown had called upon her attention. And with her curiosity piqued, the young redhead had spent hours with her nose stuck in journal entries and accounts of explorers who had published the maps of their modern-day world.

It had filled Anna with excitement, and by habit she had shared her newfound stories with Elsa outside of the blonde's room.

It was a childhood fantasy of hers, to one day whisk Elsa off and take her on a journey across the world.

But today proved sadly, that such a feat may not be entirely suited for her.

For one, she was terrible at planning.

The redhead had been invigorated, determined to reach Northuldra at the earliest convenience. She had mapped out her route, referencing both her memory and documents from the library for her journey. Additionally, she had packed food for one full day of travel, accounting for the time it had taken on her first trip there six months ago.

The queen had been on good track, making reasonable distance for time, and she had even let herself feel proud for her uncharacteristic level of preparation.

But of course, her curse of celebrating too soon quickly made its way before her.

She had not accounted for the possibility of adverse weather conditions.

It was winter, lone blizzards were not out of the ordinary.

And now the redhead found herself trudging painfully slow through thick snow, forced to guide her horse, who she had decided to name as 'Snowball', through the blinding wind.

Her steed was tired, moving increasingly more sluggish as time went on.

That was another thing she had failed to account for.

Horses weren't reindeer, the latter species notorious for longer distances of travel in the winter. She could have easily brought Sven with her.

No wonder Elsa had left.

She was ignorant, still the same clueless girl who had jeopardized the kingdom by marrying a psychopathic prince she had just met.

The cold wind batted her face in a way that seemed to agree with her diffidence.

_Elsa._

Even now she still didn't fully understand her sister.

She knew that her engagement with Kristoff was bound to have _some_ changes...

But Anna had not put enough thought into it, and naivety had once again brought her consequences.

The way Elsa had looked so pained…

So desperate to be away from her...

It felt like the rift between them was unbearably wide once again.

The frustrating sight of the shut doors had made its way back and Anna felt the familiar grip of loneliness claw at her heart.

She had worked so hard to climb the walls of the past, and was finally able to reach the truth regarding their childhood separation.

And yet, even after all this time...nothing had changed.

They were _still_ separated.

Anna couldn't help but be afraid, afraid that this journey would once again lead to another date with Elsa's door.

Not paying attention to the terrain in front of her, the redhead lost her footing, and Anna fell face first into the snow.

She laid there, unmoving.

Cold.

So cold.

But she wanted that.

Wanted the cold to rile her senses.

It was the shock that she needed to wake herself up from this persistent feeling of doubt.

She couldn't stop here.

She wouldn't.

She needed answers.

She owed it to Kristoff at the very least.

And…

She owed it to herself.

For pretending for so long that she was okay with this.

The redhead stood and brushed the snow off her body.

She closed her eyes.

And imagined that the storm before her was the result of Elsa's powers.

It spurred her on.

Knowing that at the center of the storm would be her sister.

Her sister who had hid her secrets.

Her sister who had pushed her away.

Her sister who had ran away from _home_.

From _their_ home.

She would find her.

And bring her back.

And this time...it would be different.

Anna would make sure of that.

Shaking away the last shred of doubt, the queen reached for her horse's reins and pushed onward through the storm.

_I'm coming, Elsa..._

* * *

Northuldra was beautiful.

Though her body was numb from exhaustion, Anna couldn't help but admire the ethereal presence that laid before her. As the redhead had gotten closer and closer to her destination, the blizzard had weakened, and the sight of the enchanted forest had become as clear as day.

It was as beautiful as she remembered when she had left six months ago.

The birds of daytime seemed to welcome her arrival, as they chirped and tweeted, and the forest came alive with all kinds of soothing sounds that she rarely heard in her time at the castle.

In Arendelle, the square bustled with activity; but here, the whole forest seemed to hum with music.

After so many hours of plodding through thick snowfall and ushering her horse over gnarled roots and rocks, navigating the forest in the presence of morning light proved to be much easier for the both of them. She found she could finally breathe deeply without her lungs freezing.

In fact, she felt warm now. A little bit too warm, considering the temperature around her was still quite cold.

Anna rode Snowball parallel to a frozen stream that cut through the center of the forest, and soon she could make out the appearance of smoke in the distance.

_That must be where the camp is._

A few more minutes of riding and Anna arrived at the source of the smoke. As her horse paced to the center of the campsite, a few figures exited their tents at her arrival.

It was early in the morning, and she hadn't expected there to be much company, but one by one, the Northuldran made their way out of their homes and began whispering amongst each other.

"A visitor?" One asked.

"It's the queen!" Another recognized.

"The sister of the fifth spirit..."

All the eyes on her were beginning to make her feel uncomfortable. This wasn't Arendelle, where the respect of the citizens was preemptively granted for her. By blood she was technically half Northuldran. But it had been six months since she was last here. It was quite likely that her actions to successfully free the forest had been long but forgotten.

She was saved from her turmoil when a familiar face made its way through the center of the crowd.

"I was wondering when you would finally decide to visit...Your Majesty." The woman added the last part with a smirk.

Yelena.

She still had that look that was filled with wisdom to add to her aged features.

In a way it reminded her a lot of Pabbie.

Anna chuckled nervously as she unmounted from Snowball.

"I'm sorry. I've been very busy with...things, and I apologize if I'm intruding."

The Northuldran leader walked to stand in front of her, and placed the queen's hands over her own.

"You are one of us dear, and you're more than welcome to stay here."

Anna smiled appreciatively.

Yelena then turned to the rest of the tribe.

"You here that all of you, the queen is to be treated as one of us! I expect all of you to help tend to her needs, and if I catch even one of you slacking to do so, I will make it my personal responsibility to put you on laundry duty for the rest of the month."

The redhead blushed at the doting.

Despite the foreboding threat left by the tribe elder, the group of Northuldran began cheering and applauding for the queen. Several of them approached her now, and soon Anna found herself bombarded with conversation from many different people of many different ages.

The queen was forced to follow the crowd as they walked among the different homes. She was introduced to the families of the homes, all the while being demonstrated to the various customs and cultural activities of the tribe.

It had been merely half an hour, but the redhead felt dizzy from the tour, and after turning down the tribe's offer to attend their morning hunt, Anna was finally able to escape the attention and make her way to Yelena's tent.

"You could've warned me if you were just going to leave me to die out there." Anna joked as she opened the flap.

Yelena smiled and waved her off. "They're just excited to have a visitor for once. Besides, a little cultural background never harmed anyone."

Anna noticed then, that Yelena wasn't the only one present in the tent.

Another familiar face, though this one had significantly younger features. She jogged her memory and was able to remember a name.

"Honey...maren was it?"

The young brunette looked impressed. "Wow, most people have trouble remembering my name. But I guess that's not much trouble for you, considering all the names you have to go through being queen."

Anna rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "Oh please, I'm nowhere near as proficient at it as Elsa is."

At the mention of her sister's name, the two Northuldran's expressions sullened.

She had thought that she might see Elsa when she had first arrived at the campsite, but the blonde was not present amongst the mass of Northuldran people earlier.

Anna took a deep breath before asking the important question on her mind.

"Where's Elsa?"

None of them answered immediately.

A few more moments passed and Yelena sighed, looking at her with weary eyes.

"She has locked herself deep within the forest. It has been two months, and she refuses to live amongst our people."

"We try to reach out to her, but even if we do manage to find her out there, she doesn't leave the ice cottage that she's built." Honeymaren added on.

The young Northuldran's words caught Anna's attention.

"What do you mean 'find her'?"

Yelena and Honeymaren looked at each other, and the latter nodded for the tribe elder to explain.

"We have only visited her three times, two of which were in the first month, but each time her cottage ends up being in a different location. From our few conversations we've had with her, she does not seem to be aware of it. We suspect that her state of mind is connected to the forest, and is altering the landscape subconsciously so that she isn't disturbed."

Anna's mind reeled back at Yelena's explanation.

_Was her sister really that distraught for her magic to affect the landscape?_

_Because of her...?_

"We tried to look for her again, but in the past two weeks...we haven't been able to find her." Honeymaren finished sadly.

A heavy silence fell over the three women.

It was improbable now.

Elsa didn't want to see anyone.

And if these two weren't able to find her…

What hopes would she have at trying?

What If Elsa stayed lost out there…

Forever.

_No._

Anna stood suddenly, breaking the silence.

"I will find her."

Yelena shook her head. "It's futile, child. You will only get lost out there if you try."

"I'll feel more lost, if I just stand here and wait for her." Anna countered.

"My grandmother is right, Anna. Unless you know someone who knows her precise location you won't be able to find her." Honeymaren reasoned.

_Precise location..._

Anna grinned, an idea popping into her mind.

"Then it's a good thing I know someone who might."

* * *

Anna was very sure that this _would not_ work.

But it was worth a shot.

It _had_ been awhile since she last saw him, though.

The redhead wasn't too fond of the spirits. After all, most of them had tried to kill her.

But one of them...she had a connection with.

She had never understood why, but he seemed particularly affectionate towards her.

He had personally helped her send letters to Elsa when the two sisters were still on speaking terms.

And now that Elsa was out in the forest for god knows where.

Anna needed him more than ever.

_Gale..._

_Where are you...?_

Anna closed her eyes shut and attempted to use her presence to beckon the spirit.

This was silly.

She wasn't Elsa, she had no experience with the ways of magic.

And the redhead most certainly did not speak _wind._

Anna was about to give up when suddenly, a blinding light flashed through her mind.

A scene played out before her as if she was watching the events of someone else's life.

_A...memory?_

She was in the enchanted forest.

A young girl with flowing brown hair was holding the unconscious form of a blonde boy. He was injured, and the trees around them were ablaze with fiery purple flames. The eyes of the girl were flashing with panic, desperate to get the boy in her arms to safety.

Anna pieced the scene together as she realized who the two young people were.

_Mama..._

_Papa..._

Iduun inhaled and then let loose a powerful melody from her voice.

Nothing seemed to happen.

But out of nowhere, a gust of wind fell from above and enveloped the pair.

The wind spirit carried the two away from the destructive scene and deposited them in a lone carriage away from the calamity.

Iduun reached out and hugged the form of air, thanking the kindred spirit for his help.

And with a heavy heart, watched as the fellow spirit flew back into the fiery ruins of the forest.

" _Goodbye, Gale."_

The scene faded, and Anna was back at the center of the campsite.

"Of course…"

"Gale and mother...were friends."

With her newfound knowledge, the redhead opened her lips and sung the melody she had just heard from the memory.

It was painful for her to admit, but she was starting to forget what _she_ sounded like.

She imagined her mother's voice.

All the times she had read bedtime stories to her and Elsa.

Scolded her for eating too much chocolate.

Comforted her when she had missed her older sister.

So soothing

And so warm.

Anna tried to imitate it all.

_Mama..._

Surely, the spirits could hear her past her tears.

A minute passed, and Anna once again started to doubt.

There was a reason the spirits had chosen Elsa over her.

She was powerless.

Powerless when it mattered the most.

With that thought, Anna felt her focus slip away, and the redhead stopped singing.

But just like from her mother's memory, out of nowhere, a gust of air descended from the sky and enveloped the redhead like a hug made of wind.

Anna laughed joyfully, eyes still filled with tears as she was carried from the ground.

"Hey Gale! Long time no see!"

Yelena and Honeymared stared with their mouths agape. It was no surprise that Elsa would be able to pull this off, but for both the sisters to have an affinity with the spirits, the two Northuldran couldn't help but look flabbergasted.

The wind spirit playfully tossed the redhead around, Anna giggling like a child at his antics.

The pair settled down, and Anna smiled at her magical friend.

"Gale, I need your help."

The wind spirit had no physical form, but Anna could almost imagine him tilting his head in question.

"Can you take me to Elsa?"

Gale whistled brightly which Anna took as an affirmative.

And just like with Idunn from the many years past, Gale took to the sky, carrying the redhead to the residence of the fifth spirit.

* * *

Gale deposited Anna at the edge of a wide clearing.

At the center stood a lone structure, a single story house.

_It really is a cottage made of ice..._

Anna wondered if Elsa ever considered being an architect.

It didn't speak as grand of a volume as her ice palace, but the details of the lodge in front of her displayed an artistry that could only be conveyed through its lack in size.

The specific etches of snowflakes in the exterior design showed that the former queen had put an incredible amount of thought into the look.

They never ceased to take her breath away.

Every one of Elsa's creations.

But no matter how many times Anna looked at it, the cottage just seemed...sad.

Lonely.

The small spires at the top appeared to resemble the larger ones on the castle back at home to compensate for...something.

Anna turned to look at the fellow spirit beside her.

"Thank you, Gale, I'll be fine now. I'll see you soon okay?"

The wind spirit whistled one last time before leaping away into the sky.

And with that, Anna made her way to the front door of the lodge.

She stood there.

Stared at the door.

Figuratively or literally, she was always staring at doors.

And the person behind them was always the same.

Hands raised to knock, Anna felt lightheaded.

She was shaking.

Just like how she had felt in front of the doors of Elsa's ice palace three years ago, all the times where her knocks had been turned down had left a negative stimulus in the redhead's conscience.

She dreaded this action.

Because it always led to that terrible feeling of rejection afterward.

Anna slapped her cheeks to snap out of her bleak train of thought.

If Elsa didn't open the door, then she would just have to break through the windows.

It was that simple.

Anna would see her sister if it was the last thing she did.

With her doubts now pushed aside, the queen knocked forcefully on the door.

Ten seconds felt like an eternity.

And when the blonde finally showed up to the door, time froze like the icicles hanging from the sill.

"Anna?"

Two months may as well have been a lifetime for the redhead.

Her eyes were red, swollen and baggy, evidence of tears and lack of sleep maring her usual radiance. Her hair was dirty and matted, blonde locks dangling at different lengths around her shoulders.

Anna's heart lept in her throat.

Even in the horrible state that she was in, Elsa was still the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.

And that notion terrified her.

Gone was all the confidence that she had built up for herself in the days leading up to this moment. Staring into the shocked and scrutinizing eyes of her sister, Anna was reduced to the same frightened girl from the years after her parents' death, reaching out for the love and attention from the only remaining family member still breathing in her world.

Every night away from the blonde she had dreamt of her.

Every hour of daylight she had thought of her.

And hearing her voice again for the first time in two months.

Anna felt herself tip towards the edge of breaking.

She couldn't speak.

She could only feel.

And Anna could feel herself beginning to cry.

Elsa must've noticed the tears beginning to form because the blonde suddenly reached out in worry.

"Anna? What's wrong? Are you hurt? Is everything okay?"

Upon hearing those words, the redhead broke.

The overwhelming dam that she hadn't realized she'd been holding in, collapsed and brought forth a wave of raw emotion.

Elsa still cared.

Elsa still cared about _her._

And as long as she had that, she would face whatever life threw at her next.

Anna rushed forward and buried herself in the embrace of her sister. Sobs racking heavily through her body, as she emptied all of the pent up emotions into Elsa's chest.

Elsa slowly but surely brought her arms around her and began to rub soothing circles on her back.

"It's okay Anna. I'm here." Elsa soothed, running a hand gently through Anna's auburn hair.

The action brought forth a fresh wave of tears as she then buried her face into the crook of Elsa's neck. Her nails dug painfully into Elsa's back, holding her for dear life. She cried into soft platinum blonde locks, wrapping her arms tightly around Elsa's waist.

It felt like an eternity passed before her cries died out. Anna wasn't sure exactly how long it had taken for the tears to stop, but the feeling of being enveloped in Elsa's arms was something she could easily get used to for the rest of her life.

Reluctantly, Anna untangled herself and took a step back to look at Elsa.

"Kristoff and I broke up." Anna said weakly.

Elsa's eyes widened at the unexpected news.

"What?"

Anna looked away in shame. "Kristoff deserves someone better. We were both hurting...and it was about time that we called it off..."

Anna sighed and then continued.

"I...was stupid. I rush into things without thinking about it...and..."

Anna looked up and was shocked to see fear in Elsa's eyes.

Elsa was backing away from her.

"This is my fault...isn't it...?" The blonde said shakily, voice so insecure that Anna thought she might actually physically break.

_Not again..._

"No! Elsa stop, it wasn't your fault!"

"How could it not be my fault! Everytime you suffer it's always because of me!"

She was losing her. Elsa wrapped her arms around her middle in that posture she always made when she was scared.

Just like from her coronation.

Just like when she had ran away two months ago.

Elsa was always bound by these chains. Even after all the time that had passed, the blonde still couldn't escape them.

Anna hated them. Hated those chains. Hated that posture.

Most of all she hated herself.

For not being able to free her from them...

"Please leave Anna...go home." Elsa pleaded.

Anna shook her head frantically.

"Stop Elsa! Don't do this again!"

The blonde began retreating back behind the door.

"I don't want to hurt you…"

_That stupid damn door._

She refused to look at it.

She _refused_ to live another second behind a stupid piece of wood.

With conviction coursing through her, the redhead finally snapped.

"CAN YOU STOP BLAMING YOURSELF FOR JUST ONE SECOND!"

Anna never yelled at Elsa.

They had fights, disagreements, but the redhead made sure to never take it too far.

But if that was what it took to stop this, this...endless cycle of hurt.

Anna would wear out her vocal chords for as long as she needed to.

Her outburst was enough to get Elsa to stop and stare at her in shock.

She had Elsa's attention, but Anna wasn't sure what to say next.

She was out of options.

She had no speech prepared.

She was again reminded of how terrible she was at planning.

Terrible at vocalizing her thoughts, especially when her mind was blank as it was now.

So Anna did the one thing she knew how to do.

Listen to her heart.

"Elsa…"

The blonde perked up shyly, and that was enough of an acknowledgement for Anna to reach out for her sister's hands.

Elsa tried to avoid her grasp.

_Not this time._

Anna shot out and grabbed Elsa's hands, quickly but gently prying her sister's shut-tight fists open, and running soothing circles through her palms like the blonde had done for her all those times.

"Elsa." Anna said firmly.

This time the blonde met her gaze. She was still shaking, but Anna was determined to not let her go.

_Never again._

With a deep breath, Anna closed her eyes.

_Listen to the heart._

"I love you, Elsa."

"I know I've said it so many times, but I don't think I've ever asked myself what it means to love."

"So I'm going to ask myself right now, and answer with everything that I am."

_Elsa._

"I love you, Elsa."

"I love your touch, the way your hands feel in mine. Gentle, and always trying to make sure I'm comfortable."

"I love the way your eyes look, always sparkling with kindness and love for the people around you. How within that kindness, a good fraction of it, is always reserved for me."

"I love your hair, how smooth it feels when I run my hands through it. The way it sparkles in the light like an aurora in the night sky."

"I love the way your body looks. How soft your skin is, and the perfect curves that your dresses manage to define so wonderfully."

"I love your lips. So delicate and pretty, that...I can't help but wonder how they would feel against my own."

"And above all, even with everything that we've been through, even after everything that I've just said, I love how that no matter what..."

"You'll always be my sister. My sister who loves me, who protects me, and will never let go of me no matter how much it hurts her. Ever since I can remember, you were there. Always there. You were the light to the darkness around me, and no matter what happens, I know that when I'm with you...I'm happy."

"I love you, Elsa. I love everything about you. The good and the bad, and nothing will change that. I want...I want us to be together. To experience all of the wonderful things in life."

"I want no one else there beside me...except you."

Anna's heart was racing.

She felt feverish.

She had expected to feel more relieved.

But she was still tense.

After all, she had closed her eyes the entire time.

Slowly, she opened her eyes to look at her sister.

Anna's heart dropped at the sight before her.

Elsa's face was morphed with shock, mouth agape with disbelief at her confession.

Anna was hit with panic as she realized what she had just done.

_She had professed her love to her sister._

_Not sisterly love._

_Romantic love…_

_She had said she wanted to kiss Elsa!_

Horror dawned on Anna, and this time it was the redhead retreating from the situation in front of her.

_Of course she wouldn't feel the same way..._

_How could I be so stupid…_

Anna felt tears fall from her face as she turned to run away.

_I'm sorry, Elsa._

But the redhead was stopped as a pair of strong hands gripped her forearms.

And without a second to recover.

Anna felt the sensation of soft, warm lips pressed against her own.


	4. Homecoming

Elsa stared.

Just stared.

She wasn't sure if she was dreaming or if she had completely lost her sanity.

In fact, she was pretty sure she was still dreaming, that this was another fantasy, and any moment now she would awake and again find herself alone in the empty recesses of her refuge. She would have definitely pinched herself awake too. If only her body didn't seem entirely numb to any response from her brain. The only feeling she remotely seemed to be able to make out was the quickening thrum of her ribcage.

What had Anna just said?

It was poetic. It was powerful. And every part of Elsa's body had frozen to bear witness to the incredible sight of her sister's outpouring. The words were ricocheting around in her head as she struggled to escape the dense cloud of excitement that the words had wrought.

Anna had completely caught her off-guard with her confession. But through its entirety, her sister's eyes had been shut tight.

Was she aware of what she was saying?

The redhead opened her eyes, and the passion and vulnerability held there was more than enough proof for Elsa to know that the girl had meant every word.

Anna loved her. Anna _loved_ her. Every image she had repressed of kissing her sister, tasting her, whispering never ending promises of love, didn't seem so out of reach anymore.

She was giddy, like a teenager dealing with their first crush. She had never experienced such a feeling, and the prospect of having her affections reciprocated brought butterflies to her stomach.

But just when she began to feel a slight tinge of hope, her sister started backing away.

Her eyes were fearful.

Even without saying a single word, Elsa immediately knew what Anna was feeling. The horror in her eyes resonated with the blonde with a terrifying sense of familiarity.

Regret.

The regret of loving someone.

_I'm sorry, Elsa._

She had no control of her body. It had simply moved on its own. And before she knew it, she had rushed forward to grasp Anna's forearms.

In the expressive moment of ardor, her rationale did not matter. Nothing could have stopped her.

Because Elsa knew that Anna was scared.

She was about to lose her. She was about to lose Anna. And she would be damned if she let her little sister run away like the coward she herself was.

Leaning in she captured the redhead's lips.

Elsa was briefly aware that no more than a minute ago she had been just the same as her sister.

She really was a hypocrite.

But for the short duration that their lips met. Elsa didn't care. She was kissing Anna. And Elsa let herself get lost in the tingling sensation of their lips dancing in a tentative waltz.

It was gentle.

Chaste.

Though not in the least bit underwhelming, a silent song being spoken as their lips hesitantly found solace in the embrace of the other.

Her insides melted as she cherished the welcomed feeling of intimacy.

Elsa broke away first, and pressed her forehead to Anna's.

Anna must have still been shocked from the kiss, as she was staring wide-eyed at her, unmoving and struck with stupor.

Elsa blushed and was surprised herself by the fact that _she_ had been the one to initiate contact for once.

She was about to apologize for her forwardness, when suddenly…

Anna's knees buckled, and her eyes fluttered to the back of her head.

She was falling, just like the time she had been struck with her magic all those years ago.

Elsa rushed forward to catch her sister before she hit the ground.

"Anna?!"

* * *

"Do you think she'll be okay?" Honeymaren asked.

The tribe elder didn't answer immediately, currently preoccupied with collecting the previous night's firewood scattered around the campgrounds as she mused on the tribe's whereabouts. It would still be a while till they returned. Especially today, where hunting would prove to be an arduous task with the thick snow impeding their movement.

"I am sure she'll be alright. If there's anyone who'd be able to get her out of her nest it would be her sister." Yelena assured.

"I was referring to _Anna."_

The Northuldran sage grimaced at that. The queen _had_ looked tired. She didn't know the details of the redhead's journey here, but it was more than apparent that she was fatigued. Perhaps she should've been more adamant on the young queen resting before she had departed to look for Elsa.

A rumble reverberated through the campsite and shook Yelena from her thoughts.

The rumble grew louder and louder, signaling a mighty presence approaching the village.

The trees of the forest parted as a figure being propelled by a thick and wide layer of snow entered the clearing at breakneck speed.

"Yelena!"

The sight of Elsa holding an unconscious Anna to her chest had the Northuldren elder moving to meet the pair halfway. Elsa's eyes were urgent and she desperately looked to the woman for assistance.

As the fifth spirit stood before her, It took everything in Yelena to stop herself from slapping the said blonde. Part of her wanted to immediately scold Elsa for waiting till now to come out of her hiding, but the older woman digressed, as it seemed there was a much more important task that required her attention.

Yelena kneeled and Elsa lowered her hold of Anna, so that the village elder could properly examine the redhead.

Anna's brows were furrowed as she was breathing rather heavily in her state of unconsciousness.

Sweat trailed along her face, and Yelena placed the back of her hand to the redhead's forehead, alarmed at the high presence of heat found there.

"She's burning up."

Elsa swallowed thickly as she searched anxiously along her sister's damp face for a way to help her.

Yelene narrowed her gaze at Elsa. "What happened?"

Reluctantly, Elsa recounted the events of the past hour to Yelena—of Anna first arriving at her door all the way up to the redhead fainting in her arms and her rushing to the campsite for help. She made sure to exclude the more...passionate exchanges that had occured between them, less the others be informed of the fact that she had assertively kissed her sister, and had thoroughly enjoyed it.

"And you're certain that nothing strange happened before she fainted." Yelena asked with a hint of suspicion. In addition to being the tribe leader she was also the official doctor of the village. The title didn't attribute much in comparison to truly qualified practitioners, but regardless, Yelena found it very hard to believe that Anna would just faint out of the blue.

Elsa sighed. "Yes." She lied. "We were just talking, and then she just...collapsed."

Yelena didn't press the matter, and she gently opened an eyelid to check Anna's pupil, making sure that there was no evidence of brain damage.

As Yelena continued to examine Anna, Elsa sat there helplessly and was forced to mull over her stressful but rather heartfelt reunion with her sister.

Ignoring what had happened would be foolish, and this time Elsa found herself reflecting upon her actions.

She had been _happy._

Yet as quickly as the feeling came, the reasonable side of her mind had returned and promptly smothered the flames of desire. The emotional high she had been intoxicated in had long faded, and the blonde was filled with the oh so familiar feeling of guilt.

Elsa had corrupted her, had corrupted her more than pure little sister. In the process of her self imposed isolation she had somehow managed to influence Anna to break up with Kristoff. The ice harvester must have been so heartbroken and confused Elsa thought.

How could she have been so foolish to think that she could have a normal relationship with Anna, even if the latter returned her feelings? As much as she had tried to convince herself to never think about it, to never think about even the smallest possibility of being together with Anna, she did. Very often. And in every instance, she would come to the same conclusion by the end of the night. She could not be together with Anna. It wasn't a matter of want. The kingdom would revolt if they ever found out, and Elsa would never be able to live with herself if she willingly put Anna into that kind of danger.

Elsa knew it was wrong. Every logical bone in Elsa's body knew that the way she felt for Anna could not be seen as anything _but_ wrong. They were two women. On top of that they were sisters. Related by blood. Thirteen years of isolation or not, it was a sin. Elsa acknowledged that it was _undoubtedly_ wrong.

Then why did her heart feel anything but that?

In the past few months, Elsa had willingly created another door. A door to contain and rid these repulsive feelings that had come to arise. But it had been opened. And it was horrifying to Elsa; a door that she'd spent six months cultivating had been easily torn apart because she had absolutely no self-control. When Anna had confessed, when Anna's lips had met her own, her discipline had evaporated into thin air.

Elsa stared sadly at Anna's unconscious face.

_Why?_

_Why do you continue to follow me?_

_Can't you see how much I'm hurting you...?_

"Elsa."

Yelena's voice brought her out of her daze, as the elder had completed her examination.

"If you keep that sad look on your face any longer, I might have to forcefully pry it back to something that's more appealing." The elder's bluntness caught her off guard.

"I never took you as a violent person."

Not a half second passed and Yelena countered with a retort. "I never took you as a coward."

Elsa visibly winced at the other woman's words.

Yelena sighed. She felt a tad bit bad for her rudeness, but she wouldn't apologize. Instead she looked back down at the redhead.

"She doesn't seem to be exhibiting any damage to the brain, but she clearly has a fever. I can't be certain, but I don't think she's rested since she's left Arendelle. Her fever could simply be from her overexerting her body."

Elsa sighed in relief. It wasn't the best news, but at least it didn't seem like it was anything too serious.

"Regardless, I do not think it is wise for her to remain here. I am not a certified doctor, and I'm sure you have those much more suited to treat her back in your kingdom. In case it may be something serious, I suggest you leave with her as soon as possible." Yelena proposed.

Elsa nodded and stood to her feet.

"I will return, once Anna recovers-"

"No." Yelena interrupted.

The blonde stared at the elder in confusion.

"What?"

Yelena briefly looked away before turning back to meet her gaze firmly.

"No Elsa. I apologize, but from here on out, you are not welcome amongst our people, and I hereby forbid you to return to Northuldra."

It may have seemed cruel, but Yelena's face did not demonstrate any such harshness, as the concern for the blonde was palpable among her features.

Elsa continued to look baffled.

"But why?"

"It is not a matter of reason. It is just something that I've decided, and I will not change my mind."

Elsa was truly lost and she searched the elder's face for anything to suggest a reason for her banishment, but came up empty handed as it was clear that the finality of Yelena's decision was set in stone.

Yelena's eyes softened, and Elsa realized that the elder was simply worried about her.

"Go home."

_Home?_

_How could she go home…?_

_It was the one place where she couldn't go._

_The one place where she could hurt the only person important to her._

_How could she go back there?_

Honeymaren approached her.

"Elsa."

The blonde looked up at the brunette.

"I once said that you belong out here. But it was...selfish for me to say that. I never realized how much it hurt you to be here. And I'm sorry it took us this long for us to realize."

Elsa was prepared to argue but Honeymaren didn't give her a chance to do so as she continued.

"You're one of us Elsa. You are a Northuldran, and you should never forget that."

"But your home is in Arendelle."

Honeymaren kneeled next to Anna's resting form.

"Your home is with her."

As heartwarming as the display was, Elsa couldn't fully agree with the twos' sentiments.

They just didn't understand.

They didn't see how much of a monster she was.

And there was still another problem.

"But my role as the fifth spirit-"

"Will always be welcomed." For the second time today she was interrupted.

"If the forest comes across any problem, we will send for you. Only God knows why you think it's appropriate to live out here when you have an entire castle to work with." Yelena said with a smirk.

Elsa's shoulders deflated. They really didn't want her here.

She didn't have the heart to argue, so instead she nodded.

"Thank you...both of you."

Elsa reached down to pick Anna up in the same bridal carry hold from before, before turning to face the two Northuldran one last time.

"Promise you'll send for me if you need anything."

The pair smiled and nodded.

She headed to the edge of the forest where she knew the river's outlet would lead to the fjord.

Closing her eyes, she beckoned the spirit of water, and her animal companion emerged from the surface of the frozen stream.

Extending her hand, Elsa conjured a large chariot made of ice, with two shafts connecting the makeshift hansom to Nokk's hind legs. Gently, she placed Anna's resting form in the spacious area of the chariot before grabbing the extended reins of her horse.

She looked upon Anna's face and took a deep breath to calm her thoughts.

She would put everything aside for now. Right now she needed to get Anna back home.

_Home…_

Elsa felt a strange sense of relief wash over her at the thought. She was finally going home.

Whether she wanted to or not.

Elsa redirected her attention to the water spirit.

"Hey Nokk, I need you to go fast for me this time, okay?"

* * *

The palace physician received Elsa outside the infirmary.

"It doesn't appear to be anything serious, Your Highness. Merely a fever from exhaustion. Though I would highly suggest allowing Her Majesty to rest for a couple of days. I would presume it to be from the stress from her work or perhaps some other factor, but Her Majesty was exhibiting quite a few sleeping problems over the past two months, and it's safe to say that her state of unconsciousness is simply her body trying to recover from the lack of rest."

Elsa nodded, satisfied with his diagnosis. "Thank you, Oliver." The man had served as the official doctor of the castle for years, and had always done his due diligence regarding the royal family's health, today was no exception. The gray-haired physician nodded before leaving Elsa to herself. She tiptoed into the infirmary, the subtle smell of alcohol caused her to scrunch her nose slightly, but she relaxed at the sight of Anna resting peacefully, rays of sunlight falling on her face through the adjacent window.

Elsa sat on the stool next to the bed, and held Anna's hand in her own.

The redhead had been asleep for the entire afternoon since they had returned.

She closed her eyes and thought back on the events following their arrival.

* * *

The journey back to the castle had been quick. Elsa had to imagine that Anna's trip to the forest was a lot more arduous. When they had departed from Northuldra, Nokk seemed to have sensed her mistress's urgency and had galloped powerfully through the fjord to return to the kingdom, breaking a record time of a mere four hour transit. It had been a rather bumpy ride, but Elsa could not have been more appreciative for the spirit's effort.

As she made her way through the castle gates with Anna in her arms, the guards looked awfully pale at the sight of her return and soon the rest of the royal guard, Mattias, the entire advisor board, and head servant staff were informed of her arrival and made their way to the courtyard to crowd around the two sisters, rejoicing at the sight of Anna still alive and breathing, albeit questionably healthy.

She was informed by the council that the queen had gone missing in the past day and a half, and the entire castle had turned into pandemonium in the process. They had accounted for a horse missing from the stables and had suspected the queen had left the castle grounds on her own. Elsa realized then with a wince that she had left said horse back in the forest. It wouldn't be too big of a deal she thought. The Northuldran were good with animals and would take good care of the young horse.

That still begged the question on how Anna was able to leave the castle by herself.

After allowing Anna to be taken to the infirmary by a few servants. Elsa with a cold gaze searched amongst the mass of royal guards for the one responsible for the lack in security.

"Who was in charge of surveillance when she left?" Elsa demanded with a voice hard as stone.

The guards remained silent, none of them willing to answer under the blonde's frigid stare.

Even Mattias, who had taken the position of the official Arendelle army General, seemed a bit shaken up by the blonde's cold disposition, but the man still had the decency to speak up.

"Your Highness, the fault is all of ours. We should've _all_ been more diligent." The general tried to calm her.

Elsa liked Mattias, but even so, lenience would not be offered so kindly, especially when it came to Anna's safety.

"I appreciate your sentiments, but I believe I asked for who is _directly_ responsible for this error." Mathias winced but made no act of further argument.

A deathly silence passed through the courtyard.

When it appeared that no one was going to speak, an aged man with chestnut brown hair stepped forward to break the silence.

Elsa identified him as Sir Hugh. The captain of the royal guard.

The man swallowed nervously before speaking up.

"Your Highness...I was...the one responsible for the night watch...and I apologize for my lack of diligence. But you have to understand that it was just a mistake. I would never have missed Her Majesty leaving the castle under normal circumstances! S-she must have intentionally avoided my surveillance to flee the castle grounds, and I don't think i-it's appropriate for me to be punished for your sister's s-shiftiness" He stammered, failing to project any form of confidence in his claims.

Elsa knew that he was a good man. He had done his job well for years, and his hard work was the very reason he had been promoted to captain. But the way the man spoke of his sister, trying so hard to pin the responsibility on anyone else but himself, Elsa's heart churned with cold anger.

With a quick flick of her wrist, Sir Hugh suddenly became encased in ice from below the neck, gasps echoed around the courtyard at the biting cold emitting from the blonde's presence.

Sir Hugh's eyes filled with fear as Elsa moved to stand a mere inches away from the captain's face.

"Do you think I care whether my sister tried to avoid your surveillance? When you took your oath to serve the royal family, you swore your undying loyalty to prevent any harm that may come to the kingdom's sovereign. If you think Anna's 'shiftiness' excuses you from your duty, then you are sorely mistaken, Sir Hugh." A cold wind began encircling the platinum blonde as she struggled to keep her anger at bay.

Sir Hugh's voice hitched as his body filled with shame. "Your Highness-"

"You will refer to me as _Your Majesty._ " Elsa interrupted him.

"I may have been absent and had temporarily left sovereignty in Anna's hands, but now that I have returned, you'll address us _both_ as your queen. Co-queens if you will."

The statement may have been directed at Sir Hugh, but Elsa intended the message to be addressed to everyone present in the courtyard. It seemed to do the trick, as everyone, including the board of advisors, stared in shock at the sudden announcement.

Elsa redirected her attention back at Sir Hugh. "Worry not. I will not harm you. But as punishment, I am demoting your title as Captain of the guard as a way for you to reflect on your actions, do you understand?" Sir Hugh nodded quickly, relieved at the light sentence. With a quick wave of her hand, the ice encasing the man dissipated, and Elsa took a deep breath.

She turned to Mattias. "I am designating the additional role of Captain into your duties for the time being. See that nothing like this happens again."

Mattias blinked before smiling softly, more than happy to accept the title. The new captain of the guard bowed. "As you command, Your Majesty."

Elsa smirked. She would never admit it, but hearing herself referred to as _Your Highness_ in the past six months had made her feel strange. Now that the former denomination was brought back, Elsa couldn't help but feel a rare sense of pride.

Her attention then shifted to the six advisors of the royal council, who were still staring at her with wide eyes.

"Come, we have much to discuss."

Elsa had spent the next few hours in the council room catching up on the past month's documentation, mostly in regards to the position of trade for the kingdom. It was like she had never left, and the advisors seemed to recognize that. All of which had paid respects for her return, and assisted in catching her up with the kingdom's present day issues.

"The Kingdom of the Southern Isles has ceased the previous month's trade agreement." Erik, a rather short man with trimmed black hair, in charge of monitoring trade status, brought up the issue. "Since the situation with Prince Hans, the King has been very lenient in our exchange of goods to rebuild former relations with Arendelle, so this is a surprising turn of events."

A stout, tall figure, Halvor, the official Master of Letters, followed up on Erik's initial claim. "But it isn't just the trade agreement, they have seemed to close off all forms of communication with us. Our last few letters sent regarding the cease in trade have been left unanswered."

"Perhaps, we should send a representative then, to negotiate." Ingram, the blonde man charged with the maintenance and deployment of the nation's navies, proposed a solution.

"No." All the eyes of the council fell on her.

"If the Southern Isles refuses to continue our trade agreement, then so be it. As far as I'm concerned, they are not and will never be in a position to make demands after what their slime of a prince had attempted to commit onto our kingdom." Elsa had to stop herself from going any further with her insults for the prince. "As a trade partner, they are dispensable. They were mainly a provider for textiles, but that can easily be rearranged to our trade agreement with Corona."

Murmurs fell within the council at Elsa's verdict, and then Gerard, the eldest of the council, spoke up to silence the noise.

"I for one, agree with Her Majesty's judgement on this issue. Queen Anna has also expressed a similar response to the Southern Isles' actions."

Elsa smiled at the mention of the redhead.

"Then it seems my sister has done quite the good job in my absence." Nods and hums of agreement filled the room.

Elsa then stood to conclude the meeting.

"With that being said, I shall take my leave to check on Anna. Thank you for your cooperation. You are all dismissed for the day."

Elsa turned to leave the table, the rest following suit, but she was stopped by Eira, one of the two women on the council.

"Your Majesty, there is one last thing that I need to discuss with you, if you don't mind."

Elsa nodded for her to continue, the rest of the advisors already clearing out from the meeting room.

"I am not sure if it is true, but there are rumors that Queen Anna is no longer courting the royal ice harvester."

The blonde's chest tightened at the reminder.

"I...was not aware of that." She lied.

"I was wondering if it would be appropriate to allow these rumors to spread. The citizens have been expecting a wedding to officially announce the couple for quite a while. I for one, think it is irrelevant for the time being. But the question of an heir will come up in the future, and this rumor will likely not bring forth a positive response."

Elsa's mind felt cluttered again.

She was efficient at managing the kingdom's affairs, matters of trade, and economic implementation; those were all within her job description. But everytime it had something to do with Anna. Had to do with these _ridiculous_ feelings, Elsa had no idea what to do, and the blonde once again found herself at a loss for words.

She sighed mentally. She had to say something to Eira.

"Make sure the rumors do not spread. I can attest to the fact that they are not true. And I will see to that an official wedding date is arranged soon." As difficult as it was for her to make the claim, it was what had to be done.

The female advisor bowed and left the Queen alone.

She stood there alone in the council hall, uncertainty once again gripping her in the way that had her suffocating as the emptiness in the room matched the emptiness she felt in her chest.

* * *

An hour had passed since then, and Elsa was brought back to the present. She continued to sit next to her unconscious sister with their hands held between, thinking about what she had discussed with Eira.

They couldn't be together.

Anna needed to be with Kristoff.

In fact, Anna could be with anyone.

So long as it wasn't her.

_What's best for the kingdom._

_What's best for Anna..._

Elsa was starting to get tired of reminding herself of the empty words that had practically become her slogan. If she was honest with herself, she really didn't know what was right anymore.

She just wanted Anna to be safe.

And happy.

Like how she had been when…

Kristoff proposed...

Elsa stood, her mind suddenly clear on what she needed to do.

She needed to fix things.

She would speak to Anna when she woke. She would tell her to forget the kiss. That it had obviously been a stupid lapse of judgement on her part. She knew that Anna would very likely not agree with her, but there were a lot of things the redhead didn't agree with her on, and this would just have to be one of those times where she would need to be more stubborn.

_Keep her safe._

_Your feelings don't matter._

Elsa stood and exited the infirmary, gently closing the door behind her. She approached the servant standing outside of the room.

"Have someone find me as soon as she wakes." The young female maid nodded respectfully.

Elsa then made her way to the castle stables.

She had an ice harvester to talk to.

* * *

Kristoff wasn't in the castle stables, and Elsa was not surprised.

If Anna had truly broken up with Kristoff then it was likely that he had gone back to his home outside of the castle grounds.

Fortunately, the man had previously divulged Anna on where that was, and the redhead had gone on to inform her of the whereabouts of the home in the case of a situation like this arose. Perhaps not precisely _this_ situation...but it turned out to be helpful anyway.

Now, Elsa found herself a mile away from the castle, standing in front of a rustic cabin in the outskirts of town.

She knocked twice and waited.

A few moments passed, and Elsa heard a loud crash from inside followed by a curse.

"Sven! What was that for? Do you know how long it took for me to cook that?!"

Even through the thick wooden door, Elsa could clearly make out the familiar voice of her fellow ice harvester.

"Yes, I know there's someone at the door...but that didn't mean you had to go and completely ruin our dinner. Whoever it is, they can wait. It's not like it's the queen or something..."

Kristoff opened the door and his jaw hung open.

"Hi." Elsa waved with a small smile.

Kristoff looked at anywhere but her, as he sheepishly tried to cover up what he had just said. "You didn't happen to hear that just now did you?"

"Hear what?" Elsa feigned ignorance.

Kristoff visibly relaxed. "Oh good. I mean...nothing!" He quickly recovered. "I'm surprised to see you here. I haven't seen you in…"

"Two months." Elsa finished.

Kristoff smiled sadly. "Right..."

A brief silence passed, and Elsa looked past the blonde into the inside of his home. "Can I come in?"

Kristoff perked up. "Oh yeah, sure!" He moved out of the way and the platinum blonde walked through the doorway.

All the while, Elsa examined Kristoff. She had expected him to be more...upset? Either he was quite skilled at hiding his emotions, or perhaps...

"Did you want to join me for dinner?" He asked, interrupting her thought process.

She stared at him and then turned her attention to the stew that had been spilled across the floor, and the reindeer sitting next to it who had been responsible for the mess.

Kristoff followed her gaze and then laughed in realization.

"Don't worry about that, I made more. It's flemmy stew! Upgraded version number five." He said with a proud smile.

Elsa recalled the flemmy stew he had made during Christmas a few years back. She didn't know what version _that_ one was, but she highly doubted it had made enough of a revision to be considered appetizing. But Elsa didn't have the heart to decline. And she hadn't exactly eaten yet.

"Sure." She smiled.

The man nodded and went to fetch her a plate, and soon the pair sat in a rather comfortable silence as they ate their meals, Elsa stealing glances occasionally at the other blonde, still attempting to gauge some sort of visible response to the alleged breakup.

Kristoff finished his meal and looked to the royal sitting across from him, who had surprisingly managed to stomach a third of her portion. "Considering how horrible it tastes, I'm impressed you managed to eat that much."

Elsa met his gaze and smiled softly. "It fairs well compared to what I've had to eat living in the forest."

Kristoff nodded.

Another silence passed, though this one was a bit more awkward.

Elsa sat there as she battled with the words in her head.

She was usually eloquent, and didn't struggle with speaking her mind, but this wasn't the usual topic of trade negotiation and economic trends that she had practiced her entire life for.

This was far more difficult, and she just didn't know how to bring it up.

 _I'm sorry Anna broke up with you. I'm actually in love with her and that's mainly the reason why I left. I can't be with her though, so you should probably get back together with her, and get married, so I can continue isolating myself from the only person that makes me happy._ Elsa groaned internally. No matter how she thought about it, it just wouldn't come out as something that would make her seem remotely sane.

Kristoff continued to look at Elsa as she fought with herself internally while fiddling with her thumbs. He smiled. That was something he had managed to pick up on from the three years he had spent with her. The blonde would always fidget with her fingers when something was on her mind.

"I may not be as close to you as Anna is, but I feel like I know you well enough to know when you're struggling to hold something in." Kristoff said knowingly.

Elsa looked away.

He waited patiently, and made sure not to press the platinum blonde.

It felt like an eternity passed before she finally decided to speak up.

Elsa sighed.

"I'm in love with Anna."

Kristoff didn't say anything, and Elsa took that as a signal to continue.

"I've been trying to deal with these feelings for a while now. They're wrong and sick, and I can't even be remotely around her without losing myself. I..that's why I ran away. That's why I left Arendelle..and..Anna came to find me. She broke up with you because of me. I ruined everything. I ruined everything for you...I'm sorry Kristoff..."

Elsa couldn't bring herself to meet Kristoff's eyes.

"But I'll talk to her...I'll fix this. You and Anna should get married as soon as possible. And then things will be just like...before." Elsa finished shakily. Even _she_ didn't believe herself.

Elsa finally looked up to check the other blonde's reaction.

Kristoff stared at her impassively, and the lack of emotion there unsettled her.

The ice harvester closed his eyes for a brief moment, and then looked back at her with the same passivity.

He smiled softly.

" _I_ broke up with Anna."

Silence. There had been many throughout the day, but this one wore heavily on the homely atmosphere of Kristoff's home.

The statement was so surprising that it didn't initially register in Elsa's head.

"What?"

Kristoff leaned back in his chair and placed his hands behind his head. "She didn't break up with me. I did. I was the one who brought it up."

The lack of reason laced within his response had her in a confused daze.

"But why? You love her. I know for sure that there's no one else out there who loves her more than you do."

Kristoff smirked and raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure about that?"

Elsa's throat hitched at his response, but she wouldn't back down so easily.

"Kristoff. Anna and I can't be together."

"Why not?"

"Because!" Elsa waved her hands frustratingly in front of her. Kristoff was being increasingly more difficult. "We're sisters! We can't be together! If people found out, they would throw us out of the kingdom! Anna doesn't want a life like that. Anna doesn't want to hide...She was sheltered in the castle almost her entire life. And everyday in my room I could tell how upset she was for not being able to leave. I can't do that to her...she doesn't want that..." Elsa trailed off sadly.

Kristoff looked unimpressed.

"I think you're confusing what _she_ wants with what _you_ want for _her_."

Elsa opened her mouth to argue.

"Let me finish." Kristoff waved to cut her off. "It's true, I wasn't there when she was younger. I don't know nearly as much as you do regarding her childhood. What I _do_ know, is that in the past two months, Anna has worked her ass off day in and day out to maintain this kingdom. Everyday she stays up late in her office, just so she can get a little bit more done. You wanna know why? It was so that one day when you returned, you would maybe stop seeing her as a child and start letting her make decisions for herself!" Kristoff said the last part forcefully with a hint of annoyance.

Elsa stared speechless at Kristoff.

It was late. Any chance of activity from the outside had long passed, and the only sound that could be heard was the gentle creaking of the cabin walls being jostled by the night wind. Elsa and Kristoff sat there. Seconds turned into minutes.

"You know, she hates being queen." Kristoff said softly to break the silence.

A pause and Elsa nodded.

"I know."

"You know she loves you."

She didn't need reminding.

"I know."

"She just wants you to love her too..." Kristoff said with a hint of sadness.

Elsa gripped the fabric of her dress painfully.

"...I know."

"So what's stopping you."

Elsa felt tears at the edges of her eyes.

Her voice cracked as she struggled to speak the truth laid within her heart. "I'm afraid...I'm afraid I'll let her down. I'm afraid she'll find out that I'm not the one that can make her happy...and she'll leave me...all I ever do is let people down." She whispered mostly to herself.

Kristoff didn't say anything, and Elsa thought for the first time today the ice harvester agreed with her.

"I guess that's just something you two will have to figure out together."

Apparently not. Kristoff rose from his seat and made his way to the door.

"But-"

"No buts. If you have something to say, save it for the person that really should be hearing it." The ice harvester opened the door, signaling that the duration of her visit had reached its end.

Elsa looked dejected. She wanted to argue, but it seemed Kristoff really wasn't going to budge.

She made her way out of the cabin, looking at the blonde helplessly one last time, before thanking him for the meal and bidding him goodnight.

She walked about ten steps away from the home before his voice stopped her.

"The heart isn't so easily changed. Grand Pabbie once told me that."

Elsa didn't turn back to look at him.

"What if I don't want these feelings..." She whispered beneath her breath.

Kristoff simply smiled, somehow able to make out her soft spoken words. "Your feelings are a part of you. It's about time you stop running away from them, Elsa. You deserve to be happy. You both do." And with that the ice harvester closed the door, leaving Elsa alone, awash beneath the silent white light of the moon.

She slowly made her way back to the castle.

As Elsa passed through the castle gates, the guards posted outside the walls bowed in acknowledgement, but the blonde was far too lost in her thoughts for herself to notice.

Elsa entered the foyer, and she was approached by Kai, bearing the news that she hadn't anticipated to have arrived so soon.

She wasn't ready for this.

She _really_ wasn't ready for this.

"Your Majesty, your sister has awoken."


	5. Home Is Where You Are

**Disclaimer:** Smut. Lots of it. You have been warned.

* * *

Soft.

Like a gentle rain in the spring.

No, more like the snow.

Though, the pleasant heat from the contact was most certainly not like that of snow.

Her lips were warm and smooth, and Anna found herself roving her tongue along its surface to enhance the wonderful sensation that had erupted from the initial contact.

The woman wrapped in her arms deepened the kiss, and Anna moaned at the close proximity of their bodies.

God, she was burning up.

Was a kiss supposed to be this hot?

Just as the temperature was starting to become too much for her to handle, a presence of cold replaced the lips that had been on her own.

Anna opened her eyes and her blood turned cold at the familiar terror that stood before her.

Elsa.

Frozen.

Ice encasing every inch of her body.

_**You're too late.** _

Anna awoke with a strangled gasp and shot up from the bed.

The redhead held a hand over her beating chest as she attempted to catch her breath. Her vision was blurred and it took a decent amount of time for the haze in her head to eventually clear up.

"Your Majesty, are you alright?" Gerda was standing over the bed and had reached out to help the queen to sit up.

Anna swallowed tightly as she took in her surroundings.

She was in her room.

"How…?"

"We brought you back to your chambers from the infirmary, dear." The elder servant placed a towel on her head to wipe away the perspiration that had formed on her forehead. "The doctor has finished your examination, and we thought you'd much rather rest here than there."

That would explain why she was in her room...but how did she end up back here in Arendelle?

"How long have I been asleep?"

"Twelve hours according to your sister." Gerda answered while reaching for the pitcher of water from the adjacent table.

She swallowed tightly at the mention of the blonde. "D-did Elsa bring me back to the castle?"

She wanted to add on and ask if Elsa had stayed, but was afraid the answer would disappoint her, less the answer be the one she was expecting.

Gerda nodded and tilted the handle of the pitcher into a glass cup, then handed the full cup of water to her. Her actions were quick and almost mechanical. No effort wasted in any movement as it was quite clear that the maid was well rehearsed with her tasks. "Her Majesty returned around noon while carrying you in her arms. She has requested to see you as soon as you have awoken."

Anna sighed and visibly relaxed. She thanked the maid, and drank from the glass, the liquid providing the relief she needed as the water cooled her parched throat. She handed the glass back to her handmaiden.

The redhead had noticed that Gerda had referred to Elsa by her _former_ title, but decided not to question the discrepancy, as she was still coming to terms with the relief of her sister actually being back at home for once.

She suddenly had the urge to stand up and go look for the blonde.

"Your Majesty." Gerda said sternly but also gently while holding Anna's forearms to prevent the royal from leaving the bed. "The doctor has requested for you to rest for at least the next two days. I will go send for your sister immediately."

Anna opened her mouth to argue, but upon feeling the dull aches pulse throughout her body from her prolonged sleep, she nodded mutely. The head servant smiled. Satisfied with the queen's compliance, Gerda opened the door and left the room.

She was alone again. She sat there for a couple of minutes in silence until her thoughts again drifted to her sister.

_Elsa._

She gasped and her eyes widened.

Everything came back to her in a heated rush and suddenly the redhead felt lightheaded.

Elsa had kissed her. Elsa had _kissed_ her.

Anna remembered her confession now, and the girl felt her face heat up as she recalled with clear vividity of the many heartfelt words that had left her lips in the exchange.

_God, I'm never going to wing something as important as that ever again..._

She had expected a lot of things from the blonde in reaction to her spontaneous confession. Shock, anger, and even tentative acceptance (but that was more of her optimism speaking for her).

Never in her twenty one years of life would she have expected reciprocation.

Elsa had kissed her. And as strange as the notion was. As uncharacteristic as it was for the blonde to have initiated the passionate act of entangling their lips. Anna couldn't help but remember how Elsa had _enjoyed_ it.

Of course Anna had enjoyed it too, but she also remembered what followed.

She had passed out.

She had passed out at what wasn't even her first kiss, but was most certainly a first for Elsa. In her defense, it definitely felt like her first time. If the huge rush of heat in her cheeks and soaring relief she had felt in her heart was any indication.

But still, she had fainted. And Anna felt like she could seriously just faint again from embarrassment.

Did Elsa think she was a fool?

Did she offend her sister for the lack of a better reaction?

More importantly...

Did Elsa regret it...?

Anna was hit with a sense of urgency as she realized that her sister would be seeing her very soon.

She needed a plan.

She needed to make sure she didn't mess up this time.

_Maybe I should write something down._

_No that's stupid...reading a piece of paper in front of your sister who does public speaking on a regular basis? A terrible idea, Anna._ The redhead ran her hands through her hair in frustration.

She would apparently have to cancel her premature planning as Anna quickly felt dread consume her at the sound of knocking and a familiar voice addressing her name.

* * *

Elsa swallowed nervously.

Anna had been transferred to her chambers, which was probably for the best as the room represented a better level of privacy. She would have to imagine that their talk would be rather...personal, and it would be better if no servants were around to potentially hear their conversation.

She had delayed her time long enough by washing up and changing into her nightgown, pacing at an unbearably slow pace towards her sister's chambers afterward.

Now Elsa stood face to face in front of Anna's door.

She remembered the last time she was here. The silly sleepover where she had unraveled her hidden feelings.

Elsa took a deep breath.

And knocked.

_Knock_

_Knock_

_Knock_

"Anna? Can I come in?"

The taps were almost deafening in the quiet room, and Anna found that she could quite clearly hear her own heartbeat over her shallow breathing. For a moment, it all felt surreal. It had never been _her_ to answer her sister's knocks, and the change in positions felt unbearably strange to the redhead.

Realizing she hadn't responded to Elsa's question yet, Anna panicked.

"Y-yes!" Her voice cracked. She silently scolded herself for being so terribly nervous.

The doorknob turned and the door opened slightly, revealing the platinum blonde that was her sister. Anna met Elsa's eyes. While she herself was still in her travel dress which probably stunk from an entire day and a half's worth of exercise, Elsa had changed into her nightgown and had appeared to have taken a thorough bath. The difference in cleanliness further added to the redhead's anxiety.

Elsa smiled, though with a hint of reservation.

"Hi."

Anna returned the greeting with her own tentative smile. "H-hi."

Elsa paced towards her bed, and gently sat on the bed in the space next to her. The change in weight startled Anna slightly.

Elsa reached forward and gently grasped Anna's left hand in both of hers. "How are you feeling?"

The redhead stared at their intertwined hands before smiling softly. "Better. Better, now that you're here." It was cheesy, but Anna surprisingly didn't regret saying it.

Elsa blushed slightly by the forward statement, but forced herself to recover quickly. "I meant physically Anna...are you in any pain?"

Anna held back a frown. Elsa always worried about her. She was her older sister, and it was her job to worry for her. It would usually comfort her in most situations, but the moment she had said it, the blonde's words did not match the look in her eyes. Something else was hidden there behind those blue orbs.

"I'm fine Elsa, really. I'm still a bit sore, but I'm sure that it'll go away soon with some rest." A pause and Anna reached out with her right hand to join the already entangled grasp of the other. "I'm just glad that you're back."

Elsa nodded and shied away from the redhead's gaze.

The silence was beyond awkward, and Elsa once again struggled with connecting the flow of the conversation. She still didn't exactly know where she was going with this.

Forcing a bit of confidence she asked the question at the forefront of her mind.

"How much...do you remember?" She didn't look up to ask the question, her eyes seemingly very focused on the details of the floor.

Anna realized then what it was that she saw in her sister's eyes earlier. Years of observing Elsa during meetings with visiting dignitaries provided Anna with a decent understanding of Elsa's repertoire of facades. The one she had on now was calculative, similar to the one she had on when making negotiations.

Elsa was trying to hide it. Elsa was trying to hide what had happened. And Anna felt a frustration bubble within her at the fact that the blonde had chosen to hide behind a mask in front of _her._

"If I said I didn't remember, would you have pretended that it didn't happen?" Anna failed to hide the accusatory tone in her voice.

The blonde's body went stiff, shocked by her sister's deduction.

She wasn't surprised that Anna had remembered. After all, she had merely fainted from exhaustion. But for her to know that her intentions were to bury her feelings, Elsa couldn't help but be rendered speechless at her sister's keen observation skills.

Her shocked silence was more than enough of an answer for the redhead, and Anna felt her heart plummet. Elsa had regretted it after all.

A heavy silence from both of them fell onto the room's ambience.

It was unnerving, the tension between them now, and Elsa found herself swallowing thickly to relieve her nerves.

A few moments later, Anna spoke up.

"How long...how long have you kept this to yourself?"

Elsa didn't have to ask to know what Anna was referring to.

She considered lying, but she was honestly so tired of lying. Lying to herself, and especially lying to Anna.

Elsa sighed and her shoulders visibly deflated.

"For as long as I can remember...Since my coronation even…"

Anna's eyes went wide. "Since...your coronation..." She parroted.

Elsa looked away with shame.

Anna couldn't believe what she was hearing. Three years. Her sister had been hiding this for three years. She herself had just recently come to terms with her feelings for the blonde, but Elsa had been dealing with this for three years. Then the last two months…

"Then...was my engagement with Kristoff...your feelings...was that why you ran away?" She asked, though she felt like she already knew.

Elsa nodded, looking at anywhere but her as the older girl fell deeper and deeper into her hole of shame.

Anna wrenched her hands out of Elsa's grasp. "Why...why didn't you tell me?"

As soon as the words left her mouth Anna realized with a sense of comprehension that Elsa _had_ told her. All the times where she wouldn't meet her eyes when Anna had said she loved her. When the blonde became visibly uncomfortable at their close proximity. That night on the fjord when she had flinched away fearfully from her touch.

It was always right in front of her. She was just so _ignorant._

Elsa shook her head, her body trembling all the while. "It doesn't matter, Anna..."

"It does matter! They're your feelings!" Anna said with an angry outburst.

"What I feel for you is wrong Anna," the queen insisted. "Don't you understand that?"

"No," the younger girl began, defensively. "I don't understand. And I'd wish you would stop trying to hold everything in and actually _discuss_ it with me."

The blonde turned to face her sister, looking visibly frustrated. "There is _nothing_ to discuss, Anna! You and I," she gestured between the two of them, "It can _never_ happen! The people of Arendelle would revolt and chase us out of our own kingdom!"

"How do you know that?" Anna retorted. "Our people have been nothing but supportive of us, Elsa. If they came to terms with your powers, what's stopping them from coming to terms with...us!"

"It's completely different!" The blonde was growing desperate now. "What I feel for you is- you know it's wrong!"

Anna tried to hide the hurt in her voice. "So does that mean what _I_ feel for _you_ is wrong too, then?"

"Yes!" The queen snapped.

The redhead was sitting up from her bed now. "How can you say that, Elsa? The way my heart raced when I finally saw you after two months...when I felt like I could touch the sky when you kissed me. Is that wrong?"

"Stop it Anna...just stop!" Her voice was wavering.

"Whenever there's a party in the ballroom, when there are so many people that try to approach me to ask me to dance, the only person that I ever want to dance with is you! How can that be wrong?"

"Please...stop..." The temperature in the room had become noticeably colder.

"Every night...I dream of you. I dream of being able to hold you, and to never let you go. Every single day away from you breaks my heart. All I want is to be happy...with _you._ How can you say that's wrong, Elsa?"

"Anna," her older sister pleaded. "You don't understand-"

"I do, Elsa. I really do." Anna leaned out of her position in her bed to sit in front of her sister. " _You_ don't understand that you _don't_ have to do things alone. _You_ don't understand that I'm an adult, and that I _don't_ need someone to make decisions _for_ me!"

The brief insight she had acquired from her talk with Kristoff had long been forgotten, as Elsa felt herself let loose of her control. "I'm just trying to protect you!"

The familiar words from three years ago at the ice palace caused Anna's eyes to flare in anger.

She had enough.

Enough of this bullshit.

"I DON'T _NEED_ YOUR PROTECTION!" The redhead yelled forcefully.

A deathly silence enveloped the room.

Elsa couldn't respond if she tried. Anna had stopped looking at her and had tilted her head down at the bed sheets she was sitting on, her auburn locks falling in front of her, blocking the view of her face.

Her heart clenched as she realized that the younger girl was crying. Silent sobs wracking her thin frame.

"Anna..." The blonde reached out for her sister, but couldn't bring herself to actually touch her.

"Do you know...how much it hurt...when you pushed me away all those months ago…"

"I thought you were going to die, Elsa."

"And when you did...when you had frozen in Athohallan, how do you think I felt...knowing that I wasn't there to save you."

"All my life, I thought you hated me. Every time you turned me down at your door, I thought you hated me...And when I finally figured out that you had done it for my sake. Can you imagine how much it killed me inside to know that you had been all alone those thirteen years…"

"So how can you say that you're doing things for my sake, when you know full well it's at the expense of your own..."

"How can you expect me to watch you throw away your happiness to preserve mine, especially when my happiness just so happens to be... _you._ "

All around Elsa, a flurry of ice encircled the blonde, Anna watched as her sister began to descend into her fears once more, but she was determined not to lose the most precious person to her ever again. She got on her knees in front of the queen, looking up at her.

"You said our feelings don't matter, Elsa. But you're wrong. They _do_ matter, Elsa. They've always mattered. They saved you, saved _us._.."

The younger girl's face was now so close to her sister's she could practically feel the heat from the blonde's flushed face. "Our feelings will always matter. And I won't let you speak for me and let you hide any longer. My feelings are everything and I'm going to prove it _right now_."

And she did.

Crashing her lips against Elsa's, Anna almost threw herself on top of the blonde as they fell to the mattress below them. She could feel Elsa trying to push away, grasping at her shoulders. But Anna would not let her run away so easily. The redhead pressed her lips harder and pushed her body down further into her sister's. Elsa whimpered trying to regain control of her hands, but Anna continued to remain strong in their embrace.

Elsa finally managed to escape her sister's grasp and broke away from the younger girl's lips, eyes hazy, and matching the lustful gaze from the girl on top of her.

Anna's heart softened though her voice was still thick with arousal. "Tell me you don't want this," she said breathlessly, "and I'll stop."

Elsa closed her eyes fearfully, her breaths short and rasp as she struggled to control the storm of feelings welling inside her. Anna rolled her hips forward, and the queen tossed her head back into the mattress, letting out a deep moan. She threw her free arm around the younger girl's shoulders and grasped desperately at the back of her dress. "Anna…" she whined, opening her eyes to look at her sister in what was clearly a matched level of arousal.

The utterance of her name was like an aphrodisiac in itself and it was enough to make the redhead lose all her remaining control, and concede to the powerful hunger she had for the older girl. Anna pressed her lips to Elsa's racing pulse, and in that moment neither of them expected the guttural groan that erupted from the back of Elsa's throat. Almost forcefully, Elsa brought her other hand that was tangled in Anna's hair to drag her body closer to hers.

When their lips met a second time, it had put the first one to shame. The first one was guarded in comparison. Desperate, yes, but still slightly hesitant. This one was fueled by sensations that had the two sisters working in tandem, as their hands roamed in search for the feeling of more skin through the barrier of clothing between them. It was hunger, an unbridled desire bordering on lust. A fiery blaze that had the previous cold residing in the room to all but erupt into an explosion of need.

Elsa let out an airy moan as Anna's tongue entered her lips and rolled wonderfully along her own. She grabbed Anna's waist and crushed their bodies closer together. Elsa could feel everything now, with Anna pressed flush against her, legs half-straddling one of her thighs. A powerful pressure began building in the area below her stomach. It was foreign, but oh so welcomed, as the blonde desperately wished for the feeling to never go away. It was overwhelming. She couldn't think. She could only feel.

Anna was filled with the desperate need for more. She slid her hand through the thin fabric of Elsa's nightgown, and came in contact with the front of Elsa's stomach, while the other moved in tantalizing patterns down the monarch's spine until it ended up grasping a nice handful of Elsa's rear. The foreign, intimate touch made Elsa yelp and shiver, hips involuntarily rolling forward against Anna's. She didn't think it would be possible; it had gotten hotter, and it spurred her on as the redhead's hand repeated the grasping motion with Elsa's breast, kneading the soft mound under her active fingers.

Anna forced Elsa closer while pressing a knee up, grinding it against Elsa's center. It was like she'd been struck by a thunderbolt, a shiver racing up her spine and causing Elsa's back to arch as she cried out. Anna felt herself melt at the blonde's reaction, as she suddenly sat up to remove her dress and undergarments as hastily as she could.

Lost in her haze of arousal, Elsa still had the cognizance to match the redhead's act of undress. Though it was a much less tedious act as she simply pulled her already disheveled nightgown over her head and slid her underwear off with the slight movement of her legs.

Anna was on top of her again, completely bare, but this time her gaze told a different story. The arousal was still there, but a look of tenderness had mixed its way in.

"You're so beautiful..." Anna whispered sweetly.

Elsa felt her lips tremble as she reached to cup her younger sister's cheek.

A single tear fell from the corner of her eye, as Anna bent forward to rest her forehead against her own. "Don't worry, I won't hurt you. If it becomes too much just tell me to stop."

Elsa smiled tearfully as she lost herself in her sister's loving gaze. "You could never hurt me, sis."

With Elsa's words blessing her with confidence, Anna leaned forward and captured the blonde's lips, resuming their passionate embrace. With her right hand she reached down to find Elsa's core, and was delighted at the already slick wetness she found there. Gently, she slid a finger around a hard nub.

"Ah _hh!_ Oh _Anna!_ " Elsa cried out against her lips.

Anna continued to rub Elsa's clit with small circular movements. Feeling the blonde rocking against her ministrations, Anna could feel a fire beginning to build below her belly even without the blonde touching her _there._

Breaking apart briefly from Elsa's lips, she leaned down close to the blonde's ear. "You can touch me too, you know?" She whispered sultrily.

Elsa looked away shyly. "I know...I'm just not very experienced..." She admitted.

"You know this is my first time too, silly." Anna bumped her nose playfully against her sister's.

That was a surprise for Elsa. It wasn't that she assumed that her and Kristoff had previously engaged in the act, she just figured that she would always be less sophisticated than her sister regarding...sex.

With a new sense of confidence, Elsa reached around Anna's neck and pulled the redhead down to once again crash their lips together.

With her other hand, she searched along Anna's soft thighs till she met her center, finding the slick pink folds she was looking for.

Anna whipped her head back and moaned loudly as Elsa massaged her sensitive clit. She had thought she was already losing control before, but that was nothing compared to the sheer ecstasy of Elsa touching her in her most intimate place. Anna let herself rock against Elsa's hand, and without warning Elsa plunged a digit inside her.

"God _Elsa._ Fuck!" She cried. She didn't mean for the expletive to fall out, but the sensation was just too much for her to have any sensible control over her words.

Anna immediately returned the favor and entered Elsa's entrance with a digit. The blonde groaned as her walls wrapped tightly around the redhead's finger as she moved its length in and out of the older girl.

The pair panted and slid against each other, finding the wonderful rhythm that pushed them closer and closer over the edge. Anna could feel the pressure building at her core, growing stronger and stronger as she focused on nothing but the feel of Elsa making love to every inch of her body. She was so close. The room filled with nothing but the sounds of moans and pants by the two royals.

Anna leaned down and ran her tongue across the flesh of Elsa's breast, she stopped when her mouth hovered above the peak, before taking it into her mouth. Elsa cried out in shock at the immaculate pleasure that threatened to push her over her limit. She didn't think it could feel any better, but it just did. And Elsa found herself chanting Anna's name as the latter continued to pleasure both her sensitive areas.

"An- _Anna_. Oh God! _Please_! I'm so close." She cried, gripping her sister's waist with her other hand as she was brought closer and closer to her climax.

Anna was close too, and hearing her name said with such desperation by the blonde, the redhead removed her hand from Elsa's center. Elsa followed suit, and the redhead leaned down to press her chest flush with her sisters. Lowering her waist, the two cried out as their clits pressed against each other.

They began sliding against each other's body. The wonderful friction of their sensitive nubs making love to the other brought the two to an incredible peak of pleasure that had the pair panting desperately.

"Elsa! Oh _Elsa!"_ Anna cried out passionately and that was the blonde's undoing. It was too much for Elsa, and she went over the edge.

Her moans echoed along the walls of the room as she came, and she arched her back into her sister's, and Anna followed her with her own climax, crying out the older girl's name and slamming her lips into the blonde.

The pair continued to kiss slowly as they rode out their respective orgasms, the aftershocks continuing to pulse throughout their bodies the entire way.

They laid there for minutes. In each other's arms; in the throes of ecstasy, as they shuddered against each other, the post-climax pleasure refusing to leave them.

The temperature in the room gradually returned to its equilibrium. Returning from the heat of intimacy, or from the cold state of Elsa's powers losing control during her climax, Anna couldn't decide.

The redhead broke away from the kiss, and opened her tired eyes to look at her sister.

The blonde met her gaze, and Anna pressed her lips to her damp hair, and then rested her forehead onto Elsa's.

"I love you."

Elsa's heart filled with something she had never experienced before. It spoke to her, comforted her, and the blonde couldn't stop the feeling of overwhelming content that suddenly took hold of her body.

_We'll be okay._

Elsa tried to contain her tears, but the torrent of emotion was just too much for her to handle. The blonde sat up and buried her face into Anna's neck and sobbed openly.

"I'm so sorry, Anna!" She cried. "I'm sorry for pushing you away in Northuldra all those months ago! I'm sorry for lying and shutting you out when all you've done is care for me..I'm a terrible person, I keep hurting you, and I'm just so so sorry! I should've never left, I just want to be with _you_ , and I'm just so so sorry for running and leaving you behind! I just..I just..I'm just so sorry!" Elsa wailed into her shoulder.

It was uncharacteristically ineloquent for the blonde, but Anna found the whole spiel rather adorable. She ran comforting circles on Elsa's back as she let the blonde continue to empty her pent up emotions.

In the past six months, they had suffered. Their hearts had been torn and beaten by unforeseen circumstances. At times the helplessness had been almost suffocating. Anna was sure that it had been the lowest point of her life. Yet as traumatizing as it was, as fearful as the experience had been, the redhead couldn't help but be grateful. They had hurt, but now their hearts would mend. And through the trials of love, they would stand together stronger.

"Anna..." Elsa said softly, still buried in her neck.

"Yes, Elsa?"

The older girl leaned back and looked deep into her eyes, both of her hands reaching up to cup her younger sister's cheeks.

"Thank you."

Anna stared curiously. "For what?"

Elsa returned her question with a rare, genuine smile.

"For believing in me."

Anna rushed forward and wrapped her arms around Elsa's neck.

"Always."


	6. A Villian Reborn

**Disclaimer:** Violence and dark themes.

* * *

Judicial review in the Southern Isles was like a balanced scale. Retribution for the victim. A cruel change in reality for the punished.

Hans had experienced neither.

It was hard to discern whether he was the victim or the perpetrator.

But it was less likely the latter as his reality had demonstrated a cruelness far before his punishment.

It was sick.

Comical even.

And in his eyes, any further punishment to add on to his problems was unwarranted.

Perhaps he had been overzealous.

Perhaps attempting to murder a kingdom's Queen and Princess would be seen by most as inhumane.

But they were blind, no one understood. No one understood what it meant to be the thirteenth son of King Arrius of the Southern Isles.

No one could ever come _close_ to understanding twenty three years of hiding behind the shadows of _irrelevance._

Every action to seek some form of approval from the only sad excuse of a parental figure in his life, attributing to nothing but mere glances of contempt to acknowledge that he was even there to begin with.

It boiled under his skin. It had transformed into a frustrating sense of inferiority that had led him to leave his home.

That had ultimately led to his downfall.

The two sisters of the Kingdom of Arendelle would be the reason for that.

Oh how he envied them. A life of love. An unbreakable bond. A bond so strong that had one sister succumb to emptiness at the notion of the other's death, and had the other rushing in to protect the former from his sword.

It was beautiful.

And it enraged him.

How desperately he wished to break that bond.

To unravel the cruel nature of the world in front of them. How badly he wanted them to feel the helplessness that had been all but everything in his life.

And now he would never be able to.

The last image he saw of them would forever be ingrained in his mind.

Love, stronger than any pair of lovers.

An embrace that practically mocked him of his existence.

It haunted him.

It haunted him the entire way back to his dreaded home.

Hans had expected many forms of punishment. Going as far as to believe that execution would be what would face him when he arrived back in the Southern Isles. He feared death, as anyone else would. And he knew that the King would not have batted an eye to see him gone from the world.

But in a way, Hans found slight solace in the possibility of finally being freed. Freed from this forsaken life.

His punishment was far from that, however. A mere three year sentence.

Not in the castle dungeons.

But cleaning the royal stables of its manure…

Hans had laughed when he had received the verdict. It would be logical to feel relieved. Be thankful that neither his title nor his residence in the castle had been stripped from him.

But what followed proved that his punishment was far more cruel. That the King had not spared him even the slightest mercy.

That he _knew_ that _this_ would be the result of his punishment.

The hurtful words from his brothers. The sneers of disrespect from visiting royals. It ate away at his pride like parasites.

Even Lars, the one sibling who he had been able to confide in growing up…

Just watched.

If plowing through manure wasn't already demeaning enough, Caleb, Rudi, and Runo were throwing rocks at him during the chore.

It didn't hurt physically. Their aim was far too off for the rocks to hit. But the stench of ordure staining his body combined with the hurtful remarks that could not be blocked out from his mind stabbed at his ego intensely.

Hans whipped around at them seething with anger, prepared to implant his fists into their disgustingly snide faces.

His hands went limp once he saw Lars standing behind them.

Unlike the others, his face was neither scornful nor mocking.

Pity.

Unadulterated pity.

Not for his state of humiliation.

But pity _at_ him.

His entire being.

His entire _legacy._

And with a gut wrenching comprehension, he now understood why the king had spared him.

His title may have said that he was still a prince.

But he was far from that.

Because no matter how much his status proclaimed his position of royalty. No matter how much the King's blood flowed through his own. He would never belong.

He would have a better connection with the horses than he ever would with this damnable royal family.

His remaining pride would have to accept it.

Hans would embrace his new title.

He was the stable cleaner of the Southern Isles.

The young prince had turned away after that.

And for some reason, the jibes from his brothers no longer bothered him.

He didn't hear them.

He performed his manure scraping in silence.

A man with no place may as well have been an empty shell.

In his senseless state, the prince failed to notice a dark presence lurking in the shadows, watching him with a devilish smile.

* * *

**Present Day**

The castle of the Southern Isles was large. Incredibly so. An extensive amount of rooms and halls were necessary to accommodate thirteen princes as well as a sizable castle staff. It would be quite easy for any visiting guest to find themselves lost in the gargantuan structure.

That was never an issue for Hans. He knew these winding corridors like the back of his palm. And even with the consistent amount of dignitaries flowing in and out of the castle year long, today the halls seemed devoid of any other life but himself.

He had returned from the stables. Surprisingly enough, three years had passed faster than he was able to keep up with. It wasn't until a servant had informed him that today would be his last day of service that he realized that his time of punishment had reached its end.

The deadline brought no satisfaction to him. He knew that the task was merely a disguise for the true punishment hidden beneath.

He looked at himself in a mirror that hung off one of the walls he had walked past. He hardly recognized himself. His facial hair had grown to a rather unpleasant length as the past three years had brought little to know care for his appearance.

Hans realized then, that today was his birthday.

He had forgotten that birthdays were a celebratory occurrence in most people's lives, and had failed to remember the particular date for the previous two years.

He would be turning twenty six.

_Twenty six..._

He knew that number quite well.

It was the age when his mother had passed.

" _I'm so sorry, Hans. I have to leave you...I hope you'll be able to forgive me."_

It had been a while since he last thought of her.

He didn't understand why he was thinking of her now after twenty one years.

He didn't understand why he had forgotten her in the first place.

He also didn't understand why he was suddenly walking towards the dining hall.

The thought of his mother must have triggered something within him.

It was wishful thinking. Hans knew it. In the past three years, he had taken all his meals within his own chambers for the sole sake of avoiding any possible confrontation with his family members, knowing full well that mockery would be the only thing that would meet him.

He was never an optimistic person. It may have been the fact that it was his birthday, or the notion that his punishment in the stables was over, that had him in this state of deliriousness.

Or the strange, dark whisper that had seemingly snuck its way into his distraught mind.

_**Who are you..?** _

His feet carried him.

Hans opened the doors of the royal dining hall.

Eleven of his brothers were present, and his father was sitting at the furthest end of the table.

He was briefly aware of the dirt and hints of stool still staining his clothes from his time at the stables earlier. But that didn't seem to matter to him right now. It never did.

Hans sat in the seat closest to him. The seat where Lars should've been sitting. The seat on the opposite side of the King.

The seat for the _crown_ prince.

He had no idea what he was doing. The young prince always considered himself as an intelligent person. Quick-thinking, resourceful, and extremely diligent.

What he was doing now seemed to completely contradict his own character. It was desperate, and Hans didn't realize what that desperation had grown into in his time back at the castle.

His brothers were staring at him. Some in disgust. Others in shock, very likely for his audacity to sit in Lars's seat. King Arrius adored Lars. No one ever had the guts to question the King's favoritism for the thirty five year old prince.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Lucas whispered harshly at him.

"This is the dining hall is it not? I am here to break bread with my _beloved_ family." The sardonic words had originated in his mind, but it most certainly was not his intention for it to escape his lips.

"And you think it's appropriate for you to dine with us royalty in that state of attire?" Rudi looked at him with contempt.

Hans glared back with equal contention. "Is it appropriate for you to dine at all with your state of snobbishness?"

The third youngest reddened in anger. "You-"

"Well well, would you look at that. Little Hans thinks he's all grown up now that he's graduated from the stables." Caleb, the second oldest, sneered at his own statement.

"Must've been the trauma from standing in manure so long. It suits you, thirteen." Runo looked at him knowingly.

"You two better watch it. Or the next thing I'll be cleaning will be your dead corpses."

"What did you say-" The two older princes stood simultaneously.

"Enough!"

The King's deep voice resounded through the dining hall and brought silence amongst the bickering princes.

He then turned his cold stare directly at him.

"Hans."

"Yes, _Your Majesty?_ "

"Leave." His tone was final. Exhibiting all the power that was packaged with the crown resting on his head.

"I don't think I will, _father._ " Hans spat the last part with vehemence.

Hans knew he was angry. He had been angry his entire life. What scared him was the lack of restraint. It didn't matter how angry he was before. He was never this bold to demonstrate it.

Suddenly Arrius laughed. Not a slight chuckle, but a guffaw. The sound threw Hans off of his brief high of confidence.

The large man's eyes gleamed arrogantly. "My my, have you changed. Your time at the dumps must have served you well. You're quite welcome for that."

Hans rolled his eyes. "You should've just killed me. You'll regret keeping me alive _old man_." The King looked at him sharply.

"Oh, _boy._ Do you have any idea how much of a nuisance you are to my side? Do you really think I spared you from a heavier sentence because of _love?!_ "

Hans didn't waver. "I am quite aware that you're nowhere near capable of harboring such a feeling."

Rather than being provoked the King simply smiled. "Then you should know that you have no right to address me as anything but 'Your Majesty', you _bastard._ I really _should_ have put you away like I did with your useless mother." It was a lie, but the King cocked an eyebrow, knowing the damage that would be done by his goading.

It hit its mark. Hans sprung up furiously and sprinted over to strike the much larger man.

The guards were faster however, and the youngest prince stopped short three feet away from the King, arms restrained by three stronger pairs of hands.

"I hate you!" Hans screamed.

"Oh Hans, don't be like that." He cooed mockingly. "You and I. We are the same. All we want is to be on top. A little push to rise in the ranks at the expense of others. You are no different."

"I'll never be like you!"

Arrius grinned devilishly. "Then why is it that you try so hard to be acknowledged? Why is it that you resorted to arranging a _coup_ for a _neighboring_ kingdom? Did you finally come to understand that you have no place _here_?"

Hans continued to glare silently at the King.

The monarch chuckled. " _Hans._ You really are like me. But there's one thing that will always make us different."

He sneered and leaned in mere inches away from his face.

"You're weak."

Hans lunged forward, attempting to break free of the formidable grasp of the three guards restraining him, but failed to make any leeway.

"Nothing, but a bastard. That knows no better." Arrius continued to provoke the enraged prince.

"Fuck you!" Hans screamed.

"Take him away. Don't bother even trying to enter this hall again, _child_."

The guards dragged his struggling form out of the dining hall. All the while, his brothers laughed and jeered at his humiliating position.

He was violently tossed out of the hall. And the tall doors slammed heavily behind him.

* * *

He didn't know how long he had been walking mindlessly through the empty halls.

He didn't know what exactly he was looking for.

The whispers were becoming louder and louder, and Hans wasn't sure if his mind could contain them any longer.

_**Useless.** _

_**Bastard.** _

_**Weak.** _

Hans punched the wall next to him over and over again in frustration. It was hard enough to make his knuckles bleed, but not hard enough to block out the overwhelming anger fuming inside him.

_**Your mother would be rolling in her grave.** _

Hans felt himself tear up and crumple to his knees. Pathetic. If there was one thing that he had achieved in his life, was that he promised himself he would never cry. Never display any hint of suffering. And yet hear he was, on the verge of breaking down for his mother who had left him in this accursed castle.

Someone rounded the corner and approached him, probably notified by his previous loud punches against the wall.

"Hans..?"

The youngest prince turned to meet the familiar face behind him.

_Lars._

"Hans, are you alright?" The blond haired prince reached out to help him up from his kneeled position on the floor.

Hans didn't know why the action disturbed him so immensely.

He slapped away the offered hand in disgust.

"Get away from me…" Hans whispered harshly.

"You're bleeding." Lars said with concern, taking notice of the blood dripping from his hand.

Hans's eyes flared in anger. "And now that seems to bother you? Not when I was being assaulted by rocks by my own brothers?"

"Hans…"

It was like his ability to hide his feelings had shut down. Everything had risen to the surface and Hans no longer had the capacity to conceal what laid within. Twenty one years of estrangement. Before it Lars had been the only one that had reached out to him. Had comforted him when his mother had passed. They were close. But one thing would always prevent them from truly being friends.

Lars was afraid.

Afraid of King Arrius.

After his mother's death, the King had publicly announced that the woman had been a peasant. That Han's birth had been nothing but an accident. His entire life had changed. Gone was the respect that he believed had been his. Gone was his chances at the crown that he had thought was attainable.

And gone was the five year friendship he had with Lars.

The eldest prince had turned away from him.

Though he never mocked him like the others, Lars had refused to stand up for him when it mattered most.

Lars had betrayed him.

And Hans was no longer afraid to acknowledge it.

"How could you?!" He screamed.

Lars's eyes widened in fear. "Hans, calm down-"

Hans didn't stop. "You said we were friends! How could you just leave me for that terrible excuse for a king?!"

"What are you talking about...?"

The response further added to Han's fury. He wasn't stupid. Lars was feigning ignorance.

"I thought you cared about me…" Hans whispered brokenly.

The older prince hesitated but forced himself to answer.

"I do."

Lies.

Hans once again lashed out violently. "Then why didn't you stop me?! Why didn't you stop me from leaving?! You knew I was going to leave for Arendelle, so why didn't you stop me from leaving?!"

A pause.

Lars didn't answer this time.

Nothing had changed.

"You wanted me gone." He answered his own question with a harsh whisper.

Lars shook his head but failed to annunciate any words from his mouth.

"You're just like him."

Lars retreated slightly, and Hans felt a demonic whisper encroach his conscience.

_**Kill him.** _

The voice passed through his skull and something inside him finally snapped. Though the next moment felt like an eternity in his mind, in actuality he made his decision in an instant. Lars trusted him, Lars befriended him, but Lars betrayed him. And now he had to die. When his brother turned to run, Hans felt his body move like a possessed animal.

Hans felt his blood boil and a primal strength take hold of his limbs. Without hesitation he threw himself at Lars from behind, shoulder ramming into his back and sending the older prince sprawling onto the carpet of the halls. Lars turned over but not quickly enough to get to his feet. Hans swatted away his arms to clamp a hand down around his neck, his own heart pounding in his throat as he squeezed forcefully. It would be over soon.

Except Lars managed to get his leg in between them, and one frantic kick knocked Hans away. Throat freed but gasping for air, Lars gripped at his constricted neck.

Unnoticing of the snarl ripping itself from his lips, Hans leapt forward and punched Lars in the face, again and again, ignoring the loud screams and even the pain in his knuckles at his already torn skin. The servants would hear them, and so this time Hans pressed all his weight down to trap his brother's legs, then wrapped both of his hands around Lars's throat. Hans's bloodshot eyes bulged in their sockets as he stared down at Lars desperately batting at his hands, then his face, nails leaving red scratches on the front of his face. Hans slammed his head down into the solid ground and squeezed harder, trying to crush Lar's throat in his hands.

Slowly, the resistance weakened. One second turning into ten.

Until Lars slackened entirely and Hans finally let go. Lars fell limp, surrounded by a river of blood seeping into the carpet from the back of his head.

Hans's heart stopped and the violent instinct immediately left his body. He jerked away and scrambled to his feet.

_What have I done…?_

With his own hands, he had just murdered his eldest brother.

His only friend he ever had in the castle.

Panic seizing him, Hans turned tail and ran. Bile rose to his mouth as he felt himself prepared to vomit.

It didn't matter where he ran. He just needed to leave immediately.

And so he ran away from the castle. Aimlessly, till his legs could no longer take him any further.

Hans fell to the ground, and smashed his fists into the solid dirt. And finally let himself succumb to his tears.

No one could hear him. And it was better that way. If he was meant to suffer, then it was better to suffer alone.

Though really, he wasn't alone.

" **Well done, Hans…"**

Hans's head jerked up so fast that he felt his neck protest painfully at the sudden movement.

He recognized the voice.

The voice that had been in his head earlier.

The one that he had thought had been his own, influenced by the temporary bloodlust he had for Lars's life.

Though this time it did not come from his mind. Someone had spoken to him outside of his body, and Hans felt himself tense up in response.

"Who's there?!" He yelled at no one.

" **Look around you."**

Warily, he did. In his hysterical frenzy he had managed to flee to the one place where he felt comfortable enough to hide. His mother's grave. There was no marker for him to pay his respects to, no tombstone to kneel at and properly grieve. There was only the tree where he had chosen to bury her forgotten body, unassumingly and quietly so she would bother no one in death as she had bothered no one in life. No one came here except him.

Hans shook his head and his eyes searched wildly in between the trees surrounding him. "Why did you bring me here?"

" **Why did you run?"** Asked the voice. It was louder suddenly, as though right next to his ears.

"Stop hiding and show yourself."

" **Why did you run?"** It repeated.

Irritation boiled inside Hans as he stood to his feet. "Show yourself!"

" **Would you like me to answer for you?"**

A pause and Hans felt himself sweat in anticipation.

" **Because you're weak."**

"Shut up!" Hans yelled furiously.

" **Useless."**

"Just shut up! Stop hiding you coward!" He refused to be taunted by something he couldn't see.

" **Coward…"** The voice trailed off.

At that, it fell silent. And Hans searched frantically around him for any trace of the voice. It was dark and hard to see in the empty forest around him. And for a second he thought that the voice really had disappeared.

But suddenly, the shadows on the forest ground, cast by the moonlight above, began moving. They morphed and changed into another, shifting and finally forming a distinct outline. A mist-woven shawl of dark purple emerged from the ground and draped an unfathomable blackness, which peered two haunting, red orbs. It was vaguely humanoid in shape, but seemed twisted, bent, pointed. It grinned. Or seemed to grin.

" **Hello."**

Hans lost his balance and fell on his behind. He felt his throat dry at the unnatural sight before him.

"Who are you...?"

" **Who am I?"** It appeared thoughtful as it pondered his question. " **I am...Me."** The young prince swallowed tightly at the dark aura that seeped under his skin.

" _What._..are you?"

" **Everything that you wished you could be..."** With one shadowy arm the figure extended upward and blotted the forest canopy in darkness.

" **Arendelle isn't the only place with magic, Hans."**

Evil. Hans could feel it emanating from the shadowy figure. Dangerous. Life-ending. Treacherous. It was nothing he had ever witnessed before. And yet he was drawn to it. Like a firefly drawn to light.

" **Take what belongs to you."**

Hans felt himself inch forward.

" **The world has shown you injustice."**

Closer.

" **Pain."**

And Closer.

" **Sorrow."**

" **Let us share that suffering to the world…"**

It smiled, and this time he could tell.

" **Hans Westergaard."**

Hans's hand was mere inches away from touching the extended tendrils of shadow when he suddenly felt himself stop. The magnetism that had previously drawn him closer had ceased and his conscience had returned to its original state.

Hans realized then that it was the shadow's doing.

It was giving him a choice.

A choice to turn back.

Or a choice to look onward.

Towards the future.

Was there anything for him back _there?_

The path behind that he was giving up...

Hans saw nothing but failure.

Nothing but the deadened eyes of his eldest brother.

There was nothing to go back to.

He could only move forward.

And so he did.

Decided, Hans extended his hand and touched the dark void in front of him.

Within milliseconds the shadowy figure plunged into his chest at a terrifying speed and Hans cried out in pain. He could feel the rapid tendrils of consummate emptiness working their way through his body and takeover his mind.

He was on the verge of passing out from the excruciating pain when suddenly, nothing.

The pain vanished.

It was finished.

The light of the moon had returned and the forest was brought back to its former peace.

Hans looked down at his body and found no evidence of the dark presence that had engulfed his form earlier.

He was the same.

But...

Different.

A pressure was exuding from his pores captivatingly, begging to be released.

_Power._

_Nothing to hold him back._

A foreign instinct took over, and Hans whirled around and flicked his wrist.

A bolt of energy with the darkest pitch of black flew from his fingers towards the treeline in front of him.

It exploded and the ground shook. The trees near its impact erupted into heavy purple flames.

He stared. Stone still. Enchanted by the beautiful flames.

An eternity passed.

And then he laughed.

And laughed.

Evolving into the purest form of hysteria.

The flames spread quickly to the adjacent trees and erupted into a blazing inferno. At its center stood the thirteenth prince of the Southern Isles, laughing maniacally at the fiery ruin caused by his own hands.

His laughter died down and he sighed euphorically. He grinned implishly down at his new tools of destruction.

The voice that left his mouth afterward was neither his nor the shadow's.

" **Happy Birthday, Hans."**

* * *

The castle was in chaos.

Lars's dead body had been found by a wandering servant and now every foot of the building was bustling with unrest.

The King had convened a meeting in the council room, summoning the twelve remaining princes and all fifteen members of the royal council to discuss the situation.

Except only eleven princes were present.

Leaving not much of a discussion on who the potential suspect might have been.

"It had to have been him! He was the only one that could've met him during the time!" Rudi began.

Frederick, the more introverted prince shook his head. "But why would he kill Lars...Lars was the only one that treated him well."

"For the crown, you dunce! He knew that he had no chance if Lars was still here." Caleb reasoned with annoyance.

Runo scoffed. "Even without Lars, he still has no chance."

Everyone was speaking over each other, but the consensus of the verdict was quite clear.

"Would Lars really lose to Hans in a fight?" Reid asked. "I find it hard to believe that Hans would overpower him in strength. He _was_ choked to death, afterall."

Liam, the second youngest offered his input. "He must've poisoned him beforehand."

Rudi stood up urgently. "If it really was him then he must've ran! We have to go after him!"

"Let him run."

The King's voice hadn't been particularly loud, but the intention was enough for it to stand out far above the others. All the eyes fell to him as he continued.

"I have no doubt that Hans is the one responsible. He will run, but that will all the more remind him of his failures. He'll continue to live the rest of his life with fabricated pride, convinced that murdering Lars was an act of revenge against me. But he'll soon find that it was all in vain. Lars was merely the first step. You all here have potential to be greater." Arrius looked down at his remaining sons with a prideful smirk.

"You are all strong unlike _him._ Hans is weak. The boy only knows how to run."

He looked at the empty seat in the room to further prove his point.

"And he would be a fool to prove himself otherwise."

As if waiting for those particular words, the doors of the council hall opened in dramatic fashion.

Between them stood the thirteenth prince of the Southern Isles.

Everyone in the room stood at his entrance.

It was deathly quiet.

Hans moved slowly and made his way to stand before the King.

The guards stood attentive at the monarch's side, prepared to defend their sovereign from any suspicious actions from the prince.

Unexpectedly however, Hans fell to one knee.

"I have returned, father." There was no trace of malice this time around as Hans bowed respectfully.

If the King was fazed by the demonstration, he didn't show it. "So you have."

Hans didn't speak and continued to keep his head bowed. The King stared at the back of his head impassively, a brief silence settled between the two.

"Why did you kill Lars?" The King asked. No blame or no anger in his tone. A completely neutral expression held on his countenance.

Knowing Hans, Arrius suspected that the prince had prepared a ploy to escape his condemnation. He would pretend to mourn his brother's loss. And present fabricated evidence to pin the blame on a possible servant.

None of such came.

"Lars was weak. A pawn. I simply did you a favor, and removed him from your ranks. You deserve a much more powerful piece at your side." Hans offered.

"And you believe that piece, is you?" The King didn't bother hiding his surprise this time.

"Indubitably." Hans said without raising his head.

Arrius stared at him before his lips curled into a grin, and then transformed into a haughty laugh.

The princes and council members joined in on the cackling, and soon the entire room echoed with the familiar ridicule and jeers for the youngest prince.

Hans remained bowed, eyes closed and undaunted by the mockery.

"Ahhh, Hans. I applaud you for having the guts to return. You are indeed weak, but I never took you to be an idiot as well." Arrius chuckled.

The King placed an elbow on the throne and leaned his head onto his resting hand.

"Though it would serve me the utmost joy to see you standing in manure for the rest of your life, I'm afraid I do have to kill you this time, my boy."

Arrius raised his other hand to signal the guards.

"Seize him."

Hans remained unmoving from his position, demonstrating no resistance to his forthcoming execution.

But the guards remained equally still. Not moving from their stance at the King's side.

The monarch frowned and displayed a rare show of irritation. "What are all of you doing? Seize him!"

Arrius whirled his head around to look at the guards and was shocked at what he saw.

Their eyes were empty. Deadened. No cognizance to suggest that the King's order had been heard at all.

Finally Hans stood to his feet.

And on his face, an ear splitting grin.

The youngest prince waved his hand and the guards moved away from the throne and positioned themselves behind Hans, weapons drawn towards the other princes and council members that had moved forward to intervene.

Hans took three steps forward and was now face to face with the King of the Southern Isles.

Arrius willed himself to move but panic set in when he realized that he was being held down to his throne by some unseeable force.

Hans's glee refused to leave his face.

"Oh how the tables have turned. It really is as you say, father. Power is everything." He said as he looked down at his own hands dreamily.

Arrius shook his head in fear. "Hans, stop it...I was wrong. You were right. You deserve to be at my side. Just...let me go."

Hans laughed loudly before looking down at him with disgust. "How pathetic. And here I thought you might demonstrate a bit of more dignity."

He leaned down so that he could truly enjoy the desperation that had been instilled in his father's eyes.

"I considered it you know. Keeping you as a pawn. You could've been put to good use. It would've been smart to keep you here as leverage. And smart things are what rulers _should_ do." He glanced at the crown resting on the older man's head and smirked.

"But it's like you said, _Your Majesty._ "

The prince leaned in close.

And whispered.

" _I don't know any better."_

In a quick flash, Hans stepped back and swiped his hand in a cutting motion in the space in front of him. A piercing shadow followed and sliced through the air.

It was done.

The King's head rolled to the ground with a resounding thump.

A deadened silence filled the council hall, as everyone in the room stared at the horrific scene with their mouths agape.

The crown that had rested on the decapitated head, rolled off and fell in front of Hans's feet.

He reached for it.

And with little to no effort, crushed it into a thousand pieces with his new found strength.

The King was dead.

And a new one would now take his place.

With a wave of his hand, shadows engulfed Han's form and replaced the clothes on his back. A pitch black cloak fell from his shoulders and dispersed to the floor behind him. On his head, a crown appeared. Though rather than made of gold, a shadowy purple material coated the diadem adorned by gems of black.

He turned to the crowd behind him.

The fear in their eyes welcomed him to his new sovereignty.

The world would know his name.

His journey started here.

Kingdoms would fall, and with it, he would bless them with his pain and suffering.

There was much to be done.

So much to look forward to.

_Prepare yourself...Elsa and Anna of Arendelle._

* * *

Elsa woke up to a warm body pressed against her side. It was pleasant. And Elsa settled on that pleasantness, and tried her best to ignore the myriad of strands of red hair that suddenly violated her eyes and mouth as she turned her head to the woman curled into her side. She couldn't help but smile at the redhead whose arm was draped across her waist, head buried in the crook of her neck, making Elsa aware of the warm breath puffing gently against her skin.

The past week had been the lightest her heart felt in a very long time.

Since the passionate night that she had shared with Anna, the two had settled into a healthy routine of a budding romantic relationship.

They worked together now. Paperwork was now done by both of them as they often found ways to help the other with the daily tasks of ruling the kingdom. Elsa would partake in the majority of the meetings with board members, and Anna handled the many logistical decisions that involved participation from the citizens. They worked together flawlessly, and Elsa was continuously amazed at how quick Anna was at learning new things.

With a romantic relationship also came the touch. And Elsa found that she couldn't get enough. The midday kisses brought her a reprieve to her stress that chocolate would never be able to achieve. The cuddles before bed eased her nerves, and Elsa found herself falling asleep much more easily when Anna was curled up in her arms. And the sex...

God, the sex.

Elsa's face burned just thinking about it. The act had a certain vulnerability to it that had both of them understanding each other deeply amidst the throes of passion. It made her feel special. That the incredible feeling of pleasure was something that could only be shared between the two of them.

But beyond the physical embodiment of ecstasy was something that she had come to appreciate even more.

It was the trust. The openness. The relief from the fact that no matter whatever they would face, they would face it together. They would place understanding each other over any other problem that would come their way. And Elsa found that all of the negative insecurities; their people not accepting them, the lack of an heir, trade agreements falling apart. They didn't...matter. Not when Anna was here. Not when all the happiness in the world was right there by her side, shining in all the bubliness and joy that was her sister.

She almost felt silly for not accepting it sooner.

Elsa finally snapped out of her dreamy thoughts and realized that Anna was awake and had been staring at her the entire time.

With a very dopey smile on her face.

Elsa laughed softly at her expression and reached down to move the strands of red hair that fell in front of her sister's nose.

"Good morning, beautiful." She whispered.

Anna responded by nudging closer and burying herself into Elsa's arms.

"If you keep calling me beautiful, what am I supposed to call you?" She murmured into her chest.

The older girl smirked. "Elsa."

"Well that's no fun is it?" Anna said while rolling her eyes playfully.

She looked up at Elsa and ran her fingers through platinum blonde locks.

"I think I'll stick to what I've called you before."

"And what's that?" Elsa smiled lazily, feeling herself get more and more lost in the loving gaze of the redhead as Anna pressed their foreheads together.

"Beautifuller."

Elsa giggled like a child and Anna followed suit moments after. The fond memory of their first conversation upon their reunion three years ago still brought a smile to both of their faces.

The blonde sighed in content and rested her cheek on top of her sister's head.

A comfortable silence fell between the pair.

The rays of light from the morning sun had snuck its way into the bedroom and shined brightly onto the two sisters. They basked in the warm glow that accompanied their embrace, hoping to never let go of the bliss that had formed from their new relationship.

"Hey Elsa?" Anna asked softly.

"Hm?" The blonde hummed in acknowledgement.

Anna remained silent.

Elsa scooted back to look at her sister. "Yes?" She tried again.

Anna seemed hesitant to voice the thoughts in her mind. "You don't have to answer if you don't feel comfortable answering. I just...I've been meaning to ask you this for quite some time."

Elsa almost laughed at that. After all they had been through, Anna was still trying to make sure she was comfortable around her.

She really didn't deserve her.

"It's fine, Anna. I would be happy to answer your question." Elsa smiled encouragingly.

Anna hesitated for a few more seconds, rubbing her shoulder nervously before finally looking up to meet her gaze.

"Do you hate being Queen…?"

Elsa blinked in surprise.

She certainly hadn't been expecting that question.

"What makes you say that?"

The younger girl broke eye contact and looked shyly towards the bed.

"It's just that...I watch you a lot, Elsa." Anna's eyes widened at her phrasing. "I mean not like...that! I'm not like stalking you or anything...-Not that I wouldn't! I mean..you're so beautiful so of course I would stalk you!" She mentally slapped herself. " _That._..didn't come out right. I'll just stop now." Anna's face burned terribly.

_I'm a blubbering fool._

She really needed to learn how to think before she spoke.

All her embarrassment fluttered away however at what she heard next.

Elsa laughed. Not the usual giggle that she hid behind her hand occasionally. But a genuine _laugh_ filled with joyful tears _._ One with no care for the people around her. Just free and pure happiness. And Anna felt her heart explode at the beautiful sound that she was so lucky to be blessed with.

"Anna…" She said while trying to calm her tears of mirth. "You have no idea how much I watch you too. If anything _, I_ would be _your_ stalker." Elsa said teasingly.

Anna blushed and looked away. "Thanks…"

The redhead cleared her throat before continuing. "Anyway, as I was trying to say before. I watch you a lot Elsa. And maybe I was imagining it...but when we were at Northuldra for the first time all those months ago, you almost seemed...excited. Excited to go find the spirits of the Enchanted Forest. I've never seen you like that before… it's just...I just...wonder...if you're really happy with your job as Queen..." Anna finished with a bit of sadness.

Elsa stared at the redhead in admiration. Her sister really was amazing at observing people. Anna's retelling had resonated with Elsa with pinpoint accuracy, and the blonde wanted to do nothing more than to reveal all the uncertainty that she hadn't been able to share yet.

But rather than answering the younger girl's question Elsa returned it with one of her own.

"What about you?"

"Huh?" Anna perked up.

"Do you enjoy being queen?" Elsa asked seriously.

The younger girl swallowed thickly.

If she was expecting Elsa to be honest with this, then she needed to be honest too.

Anna stared at the outline of the window at their bedside, contemplating her thoughts before finally sighing. Her shoulders deflated.

"I hate it. I hate being in one spot all the time." The redhead fiddled with the bedsheets as she continued. "It's nice to get recognition by our people and other princes and princesses. And having a big castle with really nice food and servants. But...I just want to go out! See what's out there you know? I can barely sit still, you _know_ that. I love Arendelle, I really do. It's just that...sometimes it sucks. All the responsibility on our shoulders. I wish things were simpler sometimes…"

Anna looked up nervously at her sister.

And was relieved to find a smile on the blonde's face.

"Ditto."

Both of them laughed at that. Even in the serious atmosphere that had arisen, the two of them were always able to find snippets of joy hidden somewhere in their interactions.

Elsa's smile fell briefly as she gazed apologetically at her sister. "I'm sorry I left you, Anna. Left all the responsibility on you. I should've never done that to you..."

Anna moved forward to hug her. "I forgive you. You know I always will."

Elsa smiled and moved to kiss the top of the younger girl's head. "And for that, I am _eternally_ grateful."

They broke apart, and Elsa reached forward to gently grasp Anna's hands.

"And you're right, Anna. I don't always like being Queen either. Mama and Papa have trained me since I was young to one day rule after them. I may be good at it, but that doesn't necessarily mean I enjoy it. It's satisfying to see the people that we take care of appreciate us, to love us as their rulers, and really it's our duty to carry on Mama and Papa's legacy." Elsa stared wistfully at their entwined hands.

She looked back up to meet her sister's gaze. "But I agree with you. It's stressful, and sometimes I wish we could just let go, and just be _us_...you know?"

Anna nodded sadly. "Yeah…"

A minute passed and the two sisters stayed that way. Holding each other's hands while silently reflecting on their conversion.

A few more moments of quiet passed before an idea came to Elsa's mind.

"Hey."

Anna looked up at her. "Hm?"

"I've noticed something recently."

Anna blinked and Elsa continued.

"Ever since we've been working together this past week, we've been getting through our schedule of tasks a lot more quickly, wouldn't you say?"

Anna smiled brightly at that. "Cause we're a great team!"

"The best." The older girl agreed. "But do you know what else has changed because of it?"

Anna tilted her head in question. "What?"

The blonde smiled. "We have no paperwork that needs to be done on Sunday."

The redhead's eyes widened, her brief gasp signifying her realization at what Elsa was getting at.

"I say...we let our advisors make the ruling decisions for us that day. And you and I can go-"

"Exploring!" Anna finished with an excited squeal.

Elsa retreated back shyly. "Only if you want to, Anna...It was just a thought."

The younger girl leaned in coyly. "Are you asking me out on a date, Elsa?"

The blonde looked at anywhere but her sister and then tilted her shoulder sheepishly. "Maybe..?"

Anna giggled and rushed forward to pounce on her sister.

Elsa joined in with her sister's laughing and the two nuzzled each other lovingly.

In that moment, the thought in both of their minds was the same.

_I love you._

Anna removed herself from the embrace and pulled Elsa off of the bed to a standing position, never letting go of her hand.

"Speaking of new hobbies, I want to show you something I've been working on, Elsa."

"Your ice skating skills I would hope?" Elsa teased.

Anna glared playfully at her.

"Oh, hush _you_. I'll have you know that it's _way_ better than ice skating."

Elsa smiled brightly and let her sister drag her out of the room, all the while wondering at what her sister's new _hobby_ could be.


	7. Stronger Than a Hundred Men

Elsa knew many things about her sister.

For one, she was a princess.

Officially, now a queen, but had been a princess before.

And princesses had a considerable more amount of free time than queens, and by default, more hobbies. Elsa had witnessed those that the younger girl had partaken in throughout most of her life in the castle. Many of which were the traditional ones that she also shared in her fewer moments of leisure; reading, walks in the garden, dancing (Though she would never actually admit the last one to Anna. But she did practice alone occasionally).

They were all activities that she had expected the younger girl to pick up. And Elsa never really needed to worry for the redhead's safety because of it.

So standing in the courtyard in all of her dignified preparedness, waiting for her sister to reveal the new interest that she had been so excited to show her...

The last thing she had wanted to see.

Was there to be a sword in Anna's hands.

"Anna…" Elsa started, emotions of concern and protectiveness already subconsciously rising to the surface.

The redhead had changed into a pair of brown breeches and a dark orange tunic accompanied by a pair of black boots. Rather than the ornate do-up that she had been seen with more recently, her hair was styled into the two familiar twin braids that the blonde personally thought suited her much more than the former.

Anna looked up at her and put on a reassuring smile as if she was anticipating her chastising expression.

"I know, I know…" She moved her hand in a placating motion. "I know what you're about to say, Elsa. It's dangerous. But I've been practicing a lot!" The younger girl smiled in what she hoped was convincing.

It did absolutely nothing to alleviate her concerns. In fact Elsa was more worried now. Anna had been 'practicing' with a dangerous weapon in her time away and she hadn't even been there to possibly stop her.

"Anna, it's not a matter of practicing or not. Swords are meant for our knights and protectors… not for…queens..." Elsa attempted at reasoning.

The redhead didn't waver however, and continued to brim with confidence. "Then I guess I'll just have to be the first one! It's okay, Elsa. I promise I won't get hurt. I know you're worried, but me and my pal here are like best friends now." She said while waving the piece of metal. "I even gave him a name!"

Elsa cocked an eyebrow. "A name…?" She didn't know that swords had names. Even more so, she didn't know that they had genders. But then again, swordsmanship was never her area of expertise.

"Mhm!"

Anna looked down thoughtfully at the three foot long blade and then raised the pointed weapon to the sky.

"'The Defender of Elsa's Chocolate!" She announced grandly with a dramatic pose.

The older girl stared at her speechlessly.

"That's...the name you came up with?" She managed to say after a long silence. Her sister certainly had a vivid imagination. Though, it seemed like redhead had merely combined her two favorite things (her sister and chocolate) into one moniker.

"Yup. Awesome isn't it?" Anna gave the sword a twirl along the handle.

She lost the grip and the blade of steel dropped near her foot, the loud clang making both of them jump in surprise.

Anna looked at the ground and then back to her sister. She smiled sheepishly. The redhead could practically feel the blonde's stress levels rising at all the possibilities of her falling on her own sword in the future.

"Still practicing..." She rubbed the back of her head, abashed, as she bent down to pick up the dropped item.

Elsa sighed.

This just wouldn't do.

Even if they were in a romantic relationship now, Anna's safety still weighed heavily onto her heart. Old habits really died hard, and the blonde couldn't find it in herself to look past her apprehension.

"Anna, I'm sorry but-"

"Your Majesties."

Elsa was interrupted by a deep voice. The two royal sisters were notified of Mattias's presence as he approached the center of the courtyard where they were standing.

"You requested my service?" The new captain of the guard looked towards the younger queen.

"Mhm! Thanks for coming on such short notice, Mattias!"

The older man smiled. "Of course, Your Majesty." The two had become rather close in the previous six months, and the redhead had insisted that the army general ignore the formalities and refer to each other on a first name basis. But obligation came before preference, and he was never one to stray away from etiquette. "What is it that you needed me for?"

Anna smiled brightly. "You're my sparring partner for today!"

His eyes widened in surprise as he finally took notice of the metal weapon in the sovereign's hand.

"Uhhhhh..." He looked questioningly between the two sisters.

Elsa felt her anxiety peak as she directed a hand towards the older man. "See! Even your Army General doesn't think this is a good idea..."

"No Elsa! Please." Anna said with a hint of desperation. "I've been wanting to show you this since the day you came back..."

Elsa shook her head in worry. "I know you might enjoy it, Anna. But it's dangerous. And I just..I'm just scared." She bit her lip as she felt herself struggle with her composure, arms once again wrapping around her middle. "I know we talked about this, but I'm your older sister...and I'll never stop worrying about you no matter what."

Anna's expression softened and she moved to stand in front of her sister, her face less than an inch from the older girl's, noses almost touching.

She placed a hand on the blonde's cheek. "I know…I know, Elsa. And I always love you for looking out for me." She drew comforting circles along the soft skin. "But there's always going to be the possibility of me getting hurt, and you don't need to stress yourself out always worrying over it." She reached down to grasp the blonde's hand. "I'm an adult, remember? I can take care of myself...and as your-"

 _Lover_.

"As the person who trusts you more than anyone else in the world…" She elaborated instead. "I want you to trust me on _this_."

Elsa met her sister's softhearted gaze and felt her chest tighten as she recalled the redhead's words from the past.

_I believe in you, Elsa. More than anyone...or anything._

Baby steps. Their relationship was still growing, and this was just one of the few challenges that they would have to overcome moving forward. Loving Anna was a lot harder than it seemed because it sometimes interfered with the mothering nature that she inherited as an older sister.

And if there was anything that she had learned in these past six months, it was that she couldn't dictate Anna's life just because she wanted to keep her safe. She said she _loved_ Anna. Not just as her older sister, but as another independent woman. And if that was true, then as her _partner,_ she needed to learn to respect the younger girl's wishes. Even if...she didn't like them.

She was pulled out of her thoughts when she felt Mattias's hand on her shoulder. "Everything will be alright, Your Majesty. I'll make sure that she doesn't get hurt." The General assured her. "That, I promise you."

Elsa looked at both of them hesitantly before finally exhaling with a sigh.

At the very least, the difference in their skill was reassuring. Mattias was a veteran, and would undoubtedly prevent the redhead from hurting herself.

She conceded.

"Fine."

Anna squealed in delight and ran forward to kiss the older girl on the cheek.

"I love you." She whispered sweetly.

"Mm." Elsa grunted in acknowledgement, trying to maintain a subtle show of disapproval, but her cheeks tinged a light pink at Anna's show of affection.

The redhead giggled at the pout on the blonde's face, and then moved to stand in front of Mattias at the center of the courtyard.

She stretched her arms and legs in preparation.

"Would you like me to go easy on you?" Mattias would have done so regardless, but thought to offer his terms of service out of respect for the Queen.

"Don't bother." She replied coolly. "I've been training these past two months with Admiral Anders whenever I needed to blow off steam. And let me tell you..I had a lot of steam to blow." She said with a smirk.

Well that was certainly...promising, Mattias thought. Anders was one of the more skillful swordmasters in the guard. Two months of practice with him, free time only or not, must have accounted for something. He highly doubted that the young girl's confidence matched up to her skill however. He could very clearly see her tripping over herself as soon as they began, and they could call it a day after that.

"First one to yield?" Anna proposed.

Mattias nodded. "As you wish, Your Majesty."

The Captain of the Guard took five steps back to put a decent amount of space between them.

"Are you ready?"

Anna grinned. "I was born ready!" She took one last look at Elsa, who was standing off at the side, once again with a worried expression on her face.

The younger girl smiled.

She had something to prove here.

The redhead brought her sword in front of her with both hands in a readied stance.

Mattias chuckled and slid his sword from its home at his waist. He sized her up, casually waiting for her first move, which he was certain he would be able to react to. She had good posture at least. Two months of practice or not, Anna was still a woman with a small form. He would definitely surpass her in strength, so he would need to hold back. His plan was mostly to stay on the defense, and let the queen tire herself out.

It'd be preferable to not embarrass the redhead as she knew that the young royal was a very emotional girl, so he would maintain a show of seriousness to give the woman her credit. But ultimately he would not go on the offensive. He'd feel nothing for winning a duel against a beginner, much less a woman.

His attention went back to Anna as the younger girl closed her eyes and appeared to be settling her nerves. They remained closed for an entire ten seconds.

When they opened again, Mattias instantly stiffened. The calm storm held behind the orbs of teal was nothing he had ever seen on the Queen's face before.

Elsa felt the same way, and was thrown aback by the strange aura of stillness that was suddenly emanating from the redhead.

The General of the Arendelle Army was not prepared for what came next.

Before he could blink, Anna was suddenly in front of him and thrusting her own blade straight at his unprotected side. He dove out of the way, body turning to keep her in his sight.

_How in the…?_

Again she lunged, blade swinging in a horizontal arc. He blocked, one hand pressed to the flat of his blade, to absorb the heavy impact. He struggled, and it was all Mattias could do to stay grounded. The message was clear on his face; there was no way a woman of her size should have been able to deliver that much strength in a swing.

The captain was beginning to regret his arrogant perspective from earlier. He could already tell. Not only was she trained with the sword but she was also used to using it. Her form was composed and technique surprisingly masterful.

He withdrew and Anna followed, beginning another offensive attack. She thrust her blade forward aiming at his unguarded middle. When he turned out of the way she spun on her heel whipping her blade around, drawing its momentum into another horizontal strike. Mattias barely found the time to bring his sword up to block. Their blades made contact, and Mattias staggered back and nearly lost his balance. Anna continued her attack before he had a chance to recover. She swung and his blocks were weak and hurried, his sword nearly being knocked from his hand. He reared back and quickly gave a downward strike only to be blocked handedly by the redhead. Even her defensive stance was solid.

He was speechless and confusion began to grip the Captain. But mixed in with the shock, Mattias felt adrenaline pump through his body in excitement. It had been quite a while since he was forced to go all out like this.

Gripping the hilt with both hands now, He lifted his sword, went on the balls of his booted feet, and launched himself forward with faster speed. Anna jumped back and repelled the oncoming slash with the edge of her sword, but the force of the blow knocked her back stumbling. Another slash came soon after, empowered by a deep grunt. She met it with her sword, and again was forced back by the strength of the attack.

Anna felt herself sweat at the change in demeanour from the Captain, but she didn't panic. It was strange. She felt calm. And every detail of his motions were clear in her mind.

He spun on her and made to attack again, but this time she saw it coming. She rolled sideways, under the blow, around his back, and leaped into the air, spinning as she slashed downward towards his recovering form.

Mattias blocked her attack from on high, but was surprised to see the redhead spin it into another sudden strike. It was all he could do to block again.

He remained headstrong and attempted counterattack after counterattack, but Anna was relentless. Sweat dripped from her brow and stung her eyes, but that only impelled her forward. She swung up high, and then immediately down low; and repeated the attack the other way. He remained on the defense and Anna took the opportunity to break through his stance. She gave a wide overhead swing, but with quick adaptation, he parried it and then slipped through her zone of reach.

His blade came right towards her exposed side and time seemed to slow in Anna's mind.

_Move._

She ducked, narrowly avoiding the edge of his blade, and then rolled forward, and now...she was the one close.

With a swift upward swing her blade found his crossguard and dislodged the gray sword from his hand.

One sword between them now, and she had it. Anna raised it, apex mere centimeters away from his face.

"Yield." she ordered, her voice iron and strange in her own ears.

Mattias could do nothing but stare with widened eyes. After recovering from his shock he slowly brought his arms up in surrender. "I yield."

The sudden onslaught of claps and cheers shook her out of her focused trance as she finally took notice of the assembled guards and staff that had come to witness the commotion that had originated from the courtyard.

Anna felt herself return to her usual self as she blushed shyly at the applause. She hadn't expected a crowd, and now her victory over the Captain would very well be the talk of the castle for the next month. She could practically hear the rumors already spreading; the Queen of Arendelle; not only was she a kind ruler but also a capable fighter.

Reaching down she held out a hand to her opponent. Mattias gazed at it for a moment before taking it with a soft smile.

Anna then turned her head to look at the only spectator that mattered to her.

And was delighted to see the look of absolute awe on her sister's beautiful face.

She bounded over to the platinum blonde.

"Soooo...What'd you think?" Anna asked cheerfully.

The older girl continued to stare blankly at her sister. She was sure she looked like a fool with her mouth half open, but she couldn't get her brain to re-engage and reply with something intelligent.

As a child, she was never one to admire the cliche stories of knights rescuing princesses from captivity. It was always a bit too much for her, and the aspect of romance from those tales never hit her in the right way. After all, she had ice powers. She hardly needed to be protected or rescued.

But that was all that seemed to be occupying the Queen's mind right now. Take away the armor and male features. Replace it with a beautiful woman with a fiery confidence and a soft heart.

Her Knight. Her protector. It made her feel warm, and certainly not in an unpleasant way.

When Elsa didn't respond, Anna's smile faltered and she leant back, looking uncertain. This finally brought the older girl back to semi-coherency.

"I...uh-" stuttering, she tried to get the words out. " _Wow_ ," she managed breathily. It wasn't much better than silence but it was at least accurate of how hot and bothered she was by the redhead's performance.

It did the trick and Anna giggled softly at her reaction.

"Thanks."

"How...did you do that _?_ " Elsa managed to ask, still somewhat dazed.

"That's what I would like to know too."

Mattias had ushered the spectating guards back to their duties and had returned to confront the newly discovered swordswoman.

Now with both of their attention drawn on her, the redhead felt herself shy away. "I told you..I've been practicing."

Mattias narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "Yes, but even with two months of practice, it's impossible to have reached your level of skill so quickly. Most of the guards have been training their entire life and even then they would not have lasted a minute against you!"

Anna scratched the back of her head sheepishly. "Well…"

How was she going to explain this?

The redhead looked down at her gloved hands and her shoulders deflated. "To be honest I'm not sure either." She admitted. "I'm clumsy and I don't really think before I act. I definitely thought I would be terrible at it. And really I was. When I first decided to try it out, it went exactly how I expected. I tripped a lot and got plenty of cuts and bruises, and I'm sure Anders thought that he was basically training a child."

Which in truth, was terribly discouraging. She had been ready to quit after the first day, but something...had drawn her back. Something had kept her going...to keep pestering Anders to train her.

She looked to the clouds in the sky with a wistful gaze. "I was just so frustrated. Frustrated for being so powerless. I wondered how different things would've been if I was stronger. That maybe Elsa wouldn't have left if...I wasn't so...useless." Anna felt her voice crack at the painful memory.

She closed her eyes and her thoughts drifted to her previous out of body experience. "Then one day...it happened...It was surreal. It was like I turned into a completely different person...Even now I'm still not used to it."

"All the times in the past when Elsa was in danger; on the fjord in front of Hans, against the spirits of the Enchanted Forest, or even potential dangers in the future...I focus on that. Then I imagine the sword that I'm holding is what I'll protect her with."

"And after that...it just...flows. It's as if everything around me just disappears and the only thing that matters is...her."

"That's how I know. That this... _power._..doesn't come from magic..."

She placed a gloved hand over her chest.

"It comes from the heart."

"And I realize now that as long as she's alive and by my side, nothing can stop me..."

Her eyes opened and she turned to meet Elsa's gaze with a warm smile.

"Nothing will ever stop me from loving her."

Elsa felt herself fall in love all over again for the redhead.

Eyes brimming with tears she rushed forward to wrap her arms tightly around Anna's neck.

"You're not useless...don't ever say that about yourself." She whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "You're so strong, stronger than I could ever hope to be. Look at how far you've come." She leaned back and cupped both of the redhead's cheeks. "You're a wonderful ruler and a wonderful sister. And I couldn't be more proud of you..."

Anna smiled and buried herself into the blonde's neck. "Well, you're _more_ wonderful..." The younger girl opting for the correct syntax this time around.

Elsa laughed tearfully at that and kissed the top of her head affectionately.

All the while Mattias watched the pair's exchange with a fond smile.

They broke apart and Anna looked gratefully towards him.

"Thank you, Mattias."

He smiled and bowed respectfully.

"Of course, _Your Majesties."_

They both bid him a good day and began walking away hand in hand. He thought hard on whether he should voice the thought in his mind. He decided that he should.

"Anna."

The two queens perked up at his voice and then turned back to face him.

"This may be unimportant. But your grandfather...King Runeard...was an incredibly skilled swordsman."

The redhead blinked once before her eyes widened at his words.

"He was the best...in all the kingdom. Better than even the finest of the royal guard. He would host tournaments year around, inviting neighboring kingdoms to challenge him. And from what I can remember, he never lost to anyone."

"Few of your ancestors. I've heard stories that they exhibited similar occurrences; masterful proficiency with the sword...Your calling to the sword...it may be your ancestors' blood flowing through you." He concluded by looking at her pointedly.

Anna stood there in silence.

Rather than being inspired by the newfound knowledge, her eyes suddenly hardened in response.

"He may have been a masterful swordsman, but my grandfather also _murdered_ the previous Northuldran leader. And I will never forgive him for that." She said with a cold voice.

Mathias was slightly taken aback by the younger queen's uncharacteristic bitterness. He had expected her to say something like that, but the redhead seemed extremely angered by the mention of the prior King.

Elsa reached for the younger girl's arm and drew comforting circles in her palm. Anna felt herself relax. She glanced over at the blonde before smiling gratefully.

She then turned back to him.

"If his blood flows through me, then I shall rewrite the legacy that he left behind. My sword is not to harm others, but to protect those that I care about...And I clearly have _someone_ that I care about." The younger girl emphasized her point by protectively wrapping her arms around her sister's waist and pressing their warm bodies together.

Elsa blushed at the unexpected closeness. Anna was always very touchy, but today she was being especially assertive of their newfound intimacy. The redhead hadn't verbally mentioned it or anything, but Elsa was slightly afraid that Mattias would pick up on it. It was a subject that they hadn't really discussed yet. The topic of _if_ and _how_ they were going to announce their relationship to the public.

The captain didn't say anything about it however, merely chuckling at Anna's possessiveness for the older girl.

"I couldn't agree more with you, Your Majesty." He said before again bowing respectfully.

Anna smiled but then quickly put on a stern face at the way she was being addressed.

"Anna. From now on you can only call me Anna." The redhead ordered.

"As you wish…"

Mattias held back a grin.

"Your Majesty."

Anna punched his shoulder and Elsa stifled a giggle.

Sparing the captain from her sister's vengeful wrath, the older queen dragged the redhead away by the arm. "Come on feisty pants, let's go get you some breakfast."

Anna pouted and stuck a tongue out at the general, which he responded with a laugh.

"Have a great day, you two."

Mattias watched the two sisters leave with a hopeful smile.

Arendelle was in good hands.

And as the official army general, he had a lot to be thankful for.

Because whatever future evil that planned to go against this kingdom…

Now had _two_ powerful protectors to worry about.

* * *

The skies of the Southern Isles rumbled with imposing darkness, vengeful thunderheads casting malevolent shadows over the land below.

The streets were dead. Almost nobody roamed outside, and Caleb sympathized for those wanting to escape the imminent terror that had assailed their once was kingdom.

This wasn't a monarchy.

This was tyranny.

Any resistance that had formed in response to the new rise of power had all been but swiftly dealt with. The bodies were now hung up on stakes at the center of town as a demonstration of what future laid before those that were bold enough to rise against _his_ authority.

Caleb didn't blame himself.

He certainly didn't blame himself for his cowardice.

Nothing could stop Hans.

And he'd be a fool to throw his life away like Rudi, who had been the first to attempt an assasination on the new sovereign.

His head was now a part of Hans's collection.

It was better to be a pet then a lifeless corpse he reasoned.

Caleb entered the hull of the single ship that they were to depart from.

In theory, invading a foreign kingdom would require _many_ ships for the accommodation of the entire Southern Isles army.

But Hans made it quite clear that only thirty men were needed, and Caleb seriously wondered if he needed any at all.

He made his way down the stairs to the room that was Hans's quarters.

And knocked.

"Enter." Came the familiar voice.

Caleb pushed the door open. The twenty six year old king was sitting in front of a low leveled table, staring at what was a chessboard and its accompanied pieces.

He didn't look up at his entrance.

"The men have been assembled, Your Majesty..." Caleb said as professionally as he could, doing his best to ignore the irritation that boiled at the utterance of the title.

Hans finally took his attention away from the table to look up at him.

"Ah, excellent job, Caleb. It seems that you are more loyal than I made you out to be."

The older prince said nothing at that.

It was uncanny. To know that one moment Hans could be as ruthless as an evil despot could be, and in the next, return to being the same charismatically manipulative prince from before.

It mattered little how he felt about it though. His life depended on his fealty to the new ruler.

"Are we ready to depart for Arendelle….?" He asked hesitantly, changing the subject.

"Ah yes, of course. The sooner the better I suppose…" The young king responded rather non committedly.

Hans's attention returned back to the mock chess game in front of him.

"But before that...tell me, Caleb..."

His gaze was cryptic and his eyes never left the table in front of him.

"Where is our first target?"

"Uhh…" The prince looked at the chess board and then back to his new lord. "Arendelle, is it not?"

"Of course, Arendelle. But what part of Arendelle?"

Caleb frowned in confusion. "I...don't understand."

Hans sighed in exasperation.

"You really _were_ more simple minded than the others."

The prince felt anger boil as he barely held back the biting remarks on the tip of his tongue.

The younger man with sideburns continued.

"You see...this is more than just a simple invasion...what we'll be playing…"

"...is like a game of chess."

He looked dreamily down at the opposing white pieces. "Arendelle...a beautiful kingdom...and at its center lies the most important facet."

With his right hand, he picked up a piece on the other side of the board.

The white queen.

"Elsa."

"Once we have obtained that crucial piece, the rest of the kingdom will fall before us."

Hans exhaled slightly. "Though I must admit, the piece that is Elsa, is quite formidable. Her power matches that of my own."

He looked up at Caleb, lips curling upward slightly. "So what is it that we do?"

It was rhetorical, and Caleb realized then that Hans cared absolutely nothing about his input.

His eyes gleamed dangerously at his next words. "We attack her heart. If the queen will not fall, then we go for the other pieces. We will bait her out of hiding, and expose herself to us."

Hans stood.

" _That_ is what we call 'strategy'"

The king made his way to the door.

"Prepare the men, we set sail now."

Caleb felt himself panic as he still didn't understand Han's explanation. "I'm sorry...Your Majesty. But I still don't know where we set our course to..."

Hans stopped and turned to him.

"The first piece of course."

Raising his hand, tendrils of shadow shot forward from his palm to the table, and pulled an individual white rook from the chess board into his grasp.

He stared down at the artifact of wood.

And with a wicked glint he grinned in anticipation.

"Northuldra."


	8. The Date

It had been two days since Anna's showcase in the courtyard.

Elsa sat at her desk staring at the papers before her, not reading them so much as looking at them as her mind wandered. The familiar hands of the clock in her study signified that the time was currently ten past noon. She huffed, papers forgotten for the moment. Her mind was far too distracted for her to be analyzing taxes right now.

She was supposed to be enjoying her day off with Anna.

Unfortunately, however, it seemed that the world wouldn't stop to let them relax and enjoy their brief excursion. There always had to be a problem hiding somewhere. And today was just one of those times where Elsa had found one.

She had spent her morning in an emergency meeting called by the advisory board. Elsa had invested more time playing referee over the six than anything else, and the blonde suppressed the urge to rub her temple at the recollection.

The group had been terribly rowdy. Not that they weren't _always_ rowdy, but today...more so than usual, and with very good reason. Letters from two of the kingdom's trading partners had arrived before sunrise, both of them bearing alarming information.

The Southern Isles had ceased trade and communication with the Kingdom of Corona and the Kingdom of Hedmark.

At first glance, the information didn't seem too critical in terms of how it affected _their_ kingdom. Both Corona and Hedmark could potentially demand more from them in response to their loss of a trade partner, but they could always recover from that.

It was the implications of the _southern_ kingdom that the six council members had been far more worried over.

Corona and Hedmark were the Southern Isle's primary trade partners. Very similar to Arendelle's agreement, they relied heavily on Corona for sustaining crops, and Hedmark for construction materials. Though it could have been possible that they had found alternative entities for trade, it was unlikely that it would be enough to compensate for their original arrangements.

And since the advisors' job was apparently to be over dramatic about everything, they had come up with an explanation that they had insisted on being the true reason for the falling-out.

Elsa shuddered at the possibility.

War.

She had dismissed her advisors' concerns, saying that it was unrealistic. If the Southern Isles had any motive for expanding their kingdom in the form of conquering, then they would have done so earlier. There was no incentive in place that she could recognize that would suggest an antagonistic move from the kingdom.

_Unless something happened there…_

If she had to be honest, a part of her dismissal for the possibility was led by denial.

Yes, handling the logistics of the kingdom's army was a part of her studies growing up, but her father's rule was one filled with peace and good relations with foreign kingdoms. Her preparation for armed conflict was minimal. She had nothing to go off in terms of example, really.

As a ruler, she always saw herself as someone who needed to be fully equipped and prepared for her tasks. Thus, most of her time was spent in her study, simulating speeches and negotiations in her mind before actual execution. She wasn't very good at improvising. And war was definitely not something she could _wing,_ and certainly not something she was prepared for.

And she doubted Anna would be ready for it either.

Elsa sighed stressfully.

The news had taken a toll on her mood. After the meeting, she had found her sister in the dining hall enjoying breakfast. Not having the appetite to join her, she had apologized to the younger girl, telling her that they would have to postpone their 'date' to a different time. Anna had smiled and told her not to worry about it, but it was clear that the redhead had been disappointed by the change in plans.

Elsa's heart clenched at the memory. She felt horrible for calling it off, but she'd feel even worse if she had ruined their time together with her terrible mood. She and Anna were different in that they had separate methods for dealing with stress. While the younger girl liked to distract herself with activities of leisure, Elsa had a more direct approach of locking herself in her study and getting as much work out of the way as possible.

Which is why she was now holed up in her office working on Monday's paperwork.

Sadly it was proving to be unproductive. She was repeatedly getting distracted.

Her thoughts now in particular were focused on her sister.

_Anna..._

As blissful as their time together had been so far, in the past two days Elsa found herself starting to worry over a certain issue despite continuously telling herself to ignore it.

She was happy. Elsa had accepted the newfound fact since the day that they had consummated their relationship. Anna was the only person that she would ever accept as a lover. And she wanted so badly for them to be together.

But she could only ignore the repercussions for so long. Sooner or later their relationship would have to come to light, and Elsa feared that _that_ day may be closer than she would've liked.

Anna had said that their people would accept them, but Elsa wasn't so sure. She was reminded of her coronation when her powers had first been revealed. The shock in her peoples' eyes had been undeniably present. It was true that they had eventually accepted her powers, but the events leading up to the moment had been so rare and fortunate, and had almost cost both her and Anna's life. She just couldn't see how _this_ would turn out in the same way.

Elsa tried to block it out, but the question forced its way into her mind.

_Would I have to choose...between Anna and the kingdom?_

The blonde shook her head in frustration, her desk noticeably glazing over with a thin layer of frost. The mere possibility of having to choose between the most important person in her life and the kingdom that her parents had entrusted her with, combined with the worries of a potential incoming war that she was totally unequipped for, was too much for her to handle right now, and Elsa dropped her face into her propped hands, as she once again sighed heavily.

So fixated on reducing her state of distress, Elsa failed to notice the door to her office open.

Anna peaked her head inside and blinked in surprise at Elsa's position; face completely buried in her hands. Upon realizing that the blonde had not the slightest clue that she was there, she grinned mischievously and stealthily snuck her way to the front of her desk.

She bent down to whisper inches away from Elsa's covered face.

"Hi."

The queen yelped and nearly jumped out of her skin at the suddenness of Anna's appearance in front of her.

Anna laughed loudly at her reaction.

"Oh my god, Elsa. You should've seen the look on your face!" She said while clutching her waist, trying to calm her tears of laughter.

The queen's face reddened.

"Anna, you should have knocked!"

The redhead wiped her eyes mirthfully. "And miss out on the chance of seeing you jump out of your seat? No way!"

Elsa huffed irritably. "Brat."

"Aw, don't be like that, Els. I was just joking."

Elsa didn't say anything, and Anna's smile dropped at the seriousness of the older girl's silence.

"Hey..." Anna reached forward and grabbed ahold of Elsa's hands. "I'm sorry. I should have knocked and I apologize if I scared you." She lowered her voice slightly. "Will you forgive me?"

Elsa's eyes softened as she shook her head. "It's okay, Anna. It's not you...I was just...a little stressed earlier..."

Anna reached out and tucked a strand of loose hair behind the blonde's ear.

"Do you wanna talk about it?"

Elsa's heart tightened at the concern in the redhead's voice. She opened her mouth to speak but it quickly closed again, as if she were fighting with herself to let the words spill out. She wasn't sure if the news of the Southern Isles had made its way to her yet, but Elsa didn't want to worry the younger girl.

Finally, she sighed and shook her head, deciding instead to dismiss her worries. She lifted her head and straightened her shoulders before giving Anna a reassuring smile.

"I'm glad you came. Did you need something?" She asked, changing the subject.

Anna blinked at her sister, thrown by the sudden change in topic, but quickly smiled as she remembered why she had come here. "I wanted to drop something off for you."

Elsa raised an eyebrow curiously. "And what's that?"

Anna ran outside of the study to pick up the stack of papers that she had left by the door, carrying the hefty load and depositing it onto Elsa's desk with a loud thump.

Elsa's eyes widened.

"Is that…?"

"Mhm, all of the remaining tax forms for this upcoming month." Anna affirmed with a proud smile. "I figured that you'd want to start on tomorrow's paperwork, since it's how you usually cope with stress." She smiled knowingly. "And because I'm _such_ a great sister I went ahead and got it done for you!"

Elsa stared at Anna.

The irony of the situation was almost laughable. Earlier the cause for her stress had very much to do with her younger sister. Yet, here the redhead was now, being the sole reason for her relief in the matter.

She really didn't deserve her.

Elsa leaned forward and kissed Anna lightly on the lips.

"You're amazing. You know that right?" She said with an adoring smile.

Anna smiled back brightly and then responded by walking around the desk and seating herself on the older girl's lap.

Wrapping her arms around Elsa's neck she leaned in close. "Now that the papers are out of the way, would you be so inclined to resume your date with me _, my love_?" She whispered the last part coyly.

Elsa gave a fond smile and pressed her forehead to Anna's.

"I would love that."

* * *

The pumpkin patches of Arendelle were a notorious place for scenic views. They sat snugly on a beautiful hill right on the outskirts of town. And though the season was winter, today the gods above had blessed the land with clear skies and ample sunlight, leaving the air chilly but still comfortable enough to enjoy time outside.

The two sisters had agreed to meet here within the hour, giving them ample time to prepare supplies for their planned date. With plenty of delectable foods made by the castle staff brought with them for consumption, the two had proceeded to enjoy a pleasant afternoon picnic, and were now conversing together on a table cloth at the center of the patch.

"I know you mean well and all, but did you really need to bring your sword?" Elsa looked pointedly at the sheathed weapon attached to Anna's waist. "We're having a picnic, not going to battle, Anna."

"I brought it because of _you_ , you know." Anna started. "Ever since you yelled at them, the guards have been super diligent about maintaining security. This was the only way for me to convince them to not follow me!" She explained with a pout.

Elsa cocked an eyebrow. "You could've just told them that I was going with you. I have ice powers."

"Really?" Anna said with faux surprise. "I never noticed."

Elsa responded to her sass by flicking a puff of cold air at her face, and the redhead giggled at the ticklish feeling.

She moved closer to wrap herself around Elsa's arm. "Regardless, I just like the feeling of being able to protect you for once. And who knows, maybe a group of bandits will show up."

"You sound like you're looking forward to it."

Anna replied with a wide grin, affirming the blonde's assumption.

Elsa shook her head playfully. "You stinker," she said and then proceeded to bring Anna's body closer to hers, which the latter gladly accepted as she cuddled into her.

A peaceful silence fell over the pair, the two relishing in the simple feeling of the other's embrace.

It was all too serene. And for Anna in particular, surreal.

It was crazy to think that the nightmares she had experienced when Elsa was gone had taken place in this exact same setting. The only difference now was that the blonde was here with her, and the happiness she felt was _real_. It almost felt too good to be true, and Anna was suddenly hit with fear at the possibility that this may be another dream, and any second now she would awake without Elsa in her arms.

Anna tilted her head up to look at her sister's resting face and slowly but surely, she felt her fears lift away.

Elsa was gorgeous.

For the longest time Anna had believed that she was attracted to the opposite sex. Three years spent being back with her sister had her slowly experience change, but not quite come to terms with the truth. With Kristoff she had never once experienced any feeling of passion that many described as present in romantic relationships. It had her confused, and for a while she felt guilty. Guilty, because in almost every case she would've preferred to spend time with Elsa over him, or at the very least with the both of them. She had decided to never press the issue, figuring that as long as Kristoff cared for her, that would be enough to make her happy.

It wasn't until Elsa left that she finally bore witness to the truth.

The blonde had captured her heart.

Anna had fallen for her sister, hard.

It was scary.

Intimidating

But most importantly...it was her happiness.

And the vividity of all of the details on the older girl's beautiful face gave her solace to know that this was in fact not a dream. It was her reality.

Elsa had opened her eyes then and smiled softly at the look that Anna was giving her. "Whatcha starin at?"

"You." Anna replied.

Elsa ran her finger along her own mouth. "Is there something on my face?" She asked with slight embarrassment, afraid that she still had some leftover sandwich from their meal earlier.

Anna giggled and shook her head and leaned in really close to Elsa. "I was just thinking...how nice this is."

Her expression shifted as she suddenly felt herself get emotional at her next words.

Elsa's eyes were on her curiously now, and she forced herself to continue.

"Two weeks ago I had this...horrible nightmare.' She started."All my memories of you were taken away. I lived my entire life in that dream as if you never existed…" Anna felt her voice shake as she pulled herself closer to Elsa.

"That's what made it so scary...having to even imagine a day without you alive."

Anna forced the forming tears away and steered her resolve to gaze earnestly into Elsa's blue eyes.

"Being here with you now...like this. It just makes it so easy for me to say it...I don't ever want to live another second away from you, Elsa."

The blonde felt her heart melt and break at the same time for the younger girl.

She had no idea that Anna had gone through something like that and it pained her to know that she hadn't been there for the redhead in her time of suffering.

She gathered Anna into her arms and whispered softly into her ear. "I'm so sorry." She ran her fingers through auburn locks, causing the redhead to tear up again. "I'm here now, and I promise I won't ever leave your side again." She said assuringly.

Despite her tears, Anna was able to smile softly. "Together?" She asked the familiar words.

Elsa smiled back. "Together."

An emotion passed through the redhead's eyes, one that Elsa couldn't discern, and then suddenly Anna was leaning in close to her.

"Can I kiss you?"

The older girl tensed up at that.

They were in public, and though there was no one in their proximity at the moment, someone could easily walk by into their view without them noticing.

The negative thoughts from her study earlier came crawling back, settling in the back of her mind like whispers.

 _This is careless_.

_If someone saw us then rumors could easily spread._

_Just say no._

Yet, even with her worries, Elsa couldn't bring herself to listen to them. She wanted this too. Anna's gaze was like honey, and she found herself leaning in closer and closer until their lips were mere centimeters apart. All she needed to do was close the gap, and she was just about to, when suddenly-

"Hey Anna! Hey Elsa!"

The queen jumped away from Anna like a rocket as her heart beat wildly at the intrusion. But as she took in on who exactly had walked in on them, she breathed a sigh of relief, and then quickly glanced at her sister, hoping that she hadn't offended her with her reaction.

Anna didn't seem to have been, or if she did, she hid it well. Her attention was now on their guest. "Olaf, you're back!" The redhead said with a smile as the fellow snowman waddled his way to their picnic blanket. "Did you enjoy your trip to the North Mountain?"

In the past month, the fellow snowman had put it on himself to visit Marshmallow and his fellow snowgies up in Elsa's ice palace. He had stated to Anna at the time, 'that they were like his brothers, and that he felt obligated to spend some time together with them occasionally.'

"Yup, I had a lot of fun! I didn't see you two at the castle, so I just followed my gut, and well, I always seem to be able to find you guys!" Olaf said with a cheerful smile. "Do you guys want a hug? I like hugs. Did you know that hugs have an enormous amount of health benefits; including lowering blood pressure, improving sleep, and reducing stress. Oh did I mention that it reduces stress too?" He finished with an innocent smile.

Despite the nervousness from him interrupting their intimate moment earlier, Anna and Elsa couldn't help but giggle together at Olaf's rambling. The snowman may have grown out of his existential crisis from before, but his onslaught of knowledge was still very much part of his jolly nature. Anna and Elsa moved forward and happily accepted the snowman's proffered hug.

"Thanks Olaf. We were just enjoying our picnic. Would you like to join us?" Anna offered.

"Ooo yes I love picnics! Are Kristoff and Sven here too?" He said looking around them.

Anna's expression fell as she smiled sadly. "Kristoff...needed some time away."

Olaf's smile fell. "Oh.."

"He'll be back. Just...give him some time. I'm sure he would love it if you visited him though." Anna said encouragingly, trying to bring back the snowman's happy spirit. "At his old house, remember?"

Olaf's face lit up again. "Of course I remember! The really shady looking one made out of wood. I always wondered what it would be like to live in a cabin. Did you know that cabins are not one hundred percent made out of wood, they also have a material called mortar and dried manure…" Anna smiled as Olaf continued his scientific explanation. She turned her attention back to Elsa.

The blonde was looking off in the distance, facial expression strained, something clearly on her mind.

"Hey." She began, waiting for her sister to acknowledge her. Elsa turned and met Anna's imploring teal eyes. "What's wrong?"

At her questioning gaze the queen sighed and slumped a little. "It's…nothing."

"Does it have to do with what you were stressed about this morning?" Anna offered.

Elsa's eyes widened as she was once again impressed by her sister's observation skills.

She stared at the younger girl, unsure of what to say, until finally deciding to settle with a nod.

Anna didn't press her, she wanted Elsa to open up about it, so she reached out for the blonde's hand and drew comforting circles in her palm to get her to relax.

Elsa looked down at their intertwined hands and her heart softened at the gesture, finding enough confidence now to reveal her worries to her sister.

"I'm scared...about what's going to happen to us."

The bluntness of the statement completely caught her off guard as Anna failed to conceal her surprise.

"What do you mean?" she asked somewhat warily.

Elsa, noticing the slight change in demeanour from her sister, quickly brought her hands up in front of her to elaborate. "I didn't mean it like that, Anna. I want us to be together...more than anything. It's just that..." She trailed off.

Elsa sighed again.

"I just don't want us to have to hide it..."

Anna's brain connected the dots for her. The way she seemed so nervous about kissing her earlier. The way she had reacted at the mention of Kristoff.

_Of course she would still be scared._

"You're still worried about our people, aren't you? That they won't accept us?"

Elsa nodded and continued.

"I want our people to know. But I'm scared...I know you said that they would accept us, and I want to believe you...but I just can't help but be concerned."

Silence accompanied her when she finished.

Elsa looked hesitantly at Anna. Her sister was an optimistic person and was used to seeing the brighter side of things, but even with her get-go attitude, Elsa wasn't sure how the redhead would address this issue.

Anna had decided to say nothing, and it instead turned her attention to Olaf.

"Hey Olaf."

Her friend was currently preoccupied with admiring the pumpkins in the vicinity of the patch, but quickly perked up at his name and bounded over to them.

"Yes?"

Anna looked at Elsa and smiled, hoping to bring comfort to the older girl. "If we're going to start somewhere, we might as well start with him don't you think?"

Elsa simply stared in confusion.

Anna looked down at the snowman.

"Olaf, I'm in love with Elsa."

Elsa's jaw dropped in shock. She certainly hadn't been expecting that.

The snowman's response was immediate, gasping wondrously at the news. "Like love love?"

Anna giggled. "Yes. Love love."

"Ooooo, does that mean you two will be getting married? When's the wedding? Oh I hope it's in the summer! I love summer. You know when all things are hot and absolutely perfect for a snowman like me? Is that why you two were kissing earlier?" The last question was asked out of nowhere, surprising the both of them.

Elsa blushed but Anna just laughed at the spontaneity. "Yes, we've kissed, but we haven't gotten as far as marriage yet." Anna wiggled her eyebrows at Elsa, and Elsa's face turned even more red at that.

Olaf seemed pleased with the answer. "Well, you two should definitely get married. Anna seems a lot happier now that you're back, Elsa."

Anna reached for Elsa's hand. "You hear that. I'm a lot happier."

"Anna…"

The younger girl silenced her by placing a finger on her lips, eyes fiery and determined.

"No matter what happens Elsa. You'll always be enough for me. Peoples' support or not."

Her words were heartwarming, but Elsa still struggled to fully push her worries away. Anna would sacrifice everything for her. If it meant hiding for the sake of preserving their relationship, then the younger girl would. And that terrified Elsa. Anna had sacrificed enough. She deserved to have her wishes fulfilled for once.

"I don't want you to have to choose…" She managed to whisper.

Anna's eyes widened briefly at her words, but quickly switched to mirth as she shook her head and smiled affectionately.

She would have to work a little harder to get her sister to come around it seemed, and she was just fine with that. Patience was never her strong suit, but for Elsa, she would give her all the time in the world.

"Come, follow me."

Elsa took Anna's offered hand with a questioning gaze. "Where are we going?"

The redhead smiled. "I think it's about time you get to know your people better."

* * *

The Arendelle bakery was swelling with the wonderful aromas of fresh, warm bread and sweet pastries. The ambiance had an almost cozy feel to it, so comforting that Elsa's nervous expression had been replaced by a small smile as Anna dragged her into the modest building.

"Hi Halima!" Anna said cheerfully as she stepped inside. A familiar face by the oven turned to acknowledge her entrance.

Halima had been the head of Arendelle Bakery since King Runeard's rule. It was Anna's favorite place to visit in town, and the older woman was more than familiar with her, always giving the younger girl a sample of her freshest bread whenever she had decided to visit.

"Your Majesty." Halima welcomed. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"

"Not you too!" Anna groaned. "I told you to call me Anna! Has Mattias been brainwashing you?"

The older woman laughed heartily. "I have no idea what you mean, dear." She teased.

Halima then noticed the other royal standing behind Anna.

Her eyes widened. "Queen Elsa! I apologize, I didn't notice you were here as well."

Elsa smiled and brought a hand up. "No apologies, necessary."

Anna rushed to her side, and wrapped an arm around the blonde's. "Elsa and I were just enjoying our time back together, and I thought it'd be nice if we dropped by since she's never had the chance to try your bread before. My sister here is too shy to actually leave the castle and get to know people. Isn't that right Els?" She smiled cheekily at the blonde.

Elsa responded by poking the younger girl's cheek in which Anna giggled.

Halima smiled fondly at the pair. "I would be happy to serve you, Your Majesties. It's such a relief to know that the rumors are true."

"Rumors?" Elsa inquired.

Halima nodded. "Word is that Your Majesty has returned home from the Enchanted Forest. I can speak for all of us here in Arendelle, that we could not be any happier. We have missed you dearly, Elsa."

The words surprised her immensely.

These people adored her sister. They respected her and loved her like she was a part of their family. Elsa was their ruler too, yes, and her people treated her as such, but Anna was the one who went out of the way to interact with her people on more than a few occasions, and so it was very pleasant to hear such kind words come from someone that wasn't directly from the castle.

"Thank You, Halima." She smiled truthfully. "I'm happy to be back as well."

"Of course, Your Majesty."

The older woman returned to the oven and withdrew a freshly baked loaf of bread. Placing it on the countertop, she cut two slices off of the loaf and placed each in their own respective bags. She returned and handed the items to the two monarchs. "Here, you two, fresh from the oven. Feel free to visit any time, Your Majesties. You two are always welcome here." She said kindly.

_Always welcome._

Elsa's heart warmed.

"Thanks Halima!" Anna said cheerfully and moved forward to kiss the older woman on the cheek, the latter chuckling at the doting.

"Thank you, Halima. For everything." Elsa nodded respectfully in appreciation.

Anna had already made her way out of the bakery and Elsa went to follow her but was stopped by the older woman's outstretched hand.

"She loves you dearly, Elsa. Take good care of her, okay?"

Elsa knew that she had of course meant that the redhead loved her like a sister, but she had been unable to completely calm the heartfelt emotion those simple words had stirred up in her heart.

"I…" Her voice caught in her throat. "I will." She managed to say. The older woman smiled and bowed before bidding her farewell.

Anna was waiting for her outside. When the younger girl saw her, she offered her hand for her to take. Elsa smiled softly and did such.

The two spent the rest of the afternoon visiting the different parts of town. It was amazing to see how Anna knew most of the names of the townsfolk, and even more so how all of them had expressed their open satisfaction for her return to the kingdom. The fishermen at the harbor had been particularly vocal.

"Our Queen Elsa has returned! Long live her Majesty!" The group of men cheered voraciously. They proceeded to sing a song for her, in which Anna joined in on; dancing merrily and joyously together at the tune. Elsa couldn't help but laugh at the endearing display by all of them.

The queen felt her heart get lighter and lighter as the day continued. The smiles of joy and the many kind words she had received, demonstrating the citizens' support of her being reunited with Anna, attributed to a reprieve that had the blonde beaming for the remaining time.

At a certain point, a group of young children had run up to her and had overwhelmed her with affectionate hugs.

"Queen Elsa's back!" They said together.

"Can you show us the magic?" One of them begged her.

The queen succumbed to the children's pleading looks. Raising her hand upward, she fulfilled their wishes by filling the proximity with sparkling particles of ice that fell gently from above. Soon the ground around them was covered in a thin layer of soft snow, the children cheered with glee and insisted on Elsa joining them in making snow angels.

Of course, Elsa agreed, and the blonde partook in the fun, a carefree grin plastered on her face the entire time. All the while, Anna observed the older girl, and smiled tenderly at the interaction.

It was the most fun they both had in years.

* * *

The time of evening had made its entrance. A beautiful sunset hung in the sky, signified by hues of pink and orange reflecting majestically against the calm waters of the fjord.

Anna and Elsa walked along the docks, enjoying the peaceful sound of waves crashing against the pier. Their date had been everything that they had hoped for, and for Elsa, her heart felt many times lighter than it had at the start of the day. And she had only one person to thank for that.

Anna squeezed her elbow and Elsa looked over at the younger girl with a smile.

"That bread was delicious wasn't it?" Anna asked.

Elsa agreed with a nod. "It was. I would even go as far as to say that it's better than our own at the castle."

"Maybe we should hire her!" Anna suggested brightly. "Then we can enjoy such delicious bread whenever we want!"

Elsa pondered the proposition thoughtfully. "That _would_ be nice. But I don't know how long she'd last having to put up with _your_ appetite." She teased.

"Hey! I'll have you know that Halima _loves_ making food for me."

"Of course. Who wouldn't love serving my adorable dear sister?" They both giggled and Elsa brought Anna closer by the waist.

They sat together on the edge of the pier, taking in the lovely view before them and enjoying the comfortable silence between. Anna felt herself sigh in content. If the word 'romantic' could be described in one scene, this moment would be it.

With that thought, she had the immediate urge to express her appreciation for it.

"Elsa."

The older girl turned her attention to her.

"Thank you for today." She said.

Elsa blinked in surprise before smiling softly.

"I should be the one thanking you…"

Anna inched forward to press her forehead to hers.

"I just...didn't want to see you upset." She said while gazing deep into her sister's eyes. "I'm not saying that I don't worry about us...Elsa. But these people. Our people. They love you. They love you more than you know."

Elsa believed it. She hadn't realized that she had forgotten such a simple fact. Hamila, the fishermen, the young children, all of them had shown that to her today. That they were more than just her citizens. They were her...family. Not a bond formed by blood, but one built upon trust through years of her and Anna's just ruling. This was her home. _Their_ home.

Anna placed a hand on Elsa's cheek, cupping her fair skin.

"Have faith. I trust in us. And I trust that our people will too. It's true love, remember? We'll get our happy ending."

Elsa felt her voice waver at the overwhelming affection that had bloomed in her heart for the woman in front of her.

"When did you become so wise?" She whispered.

The redhead looked at her as if the answer was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Since the love of my life came back to my side." She said.

Her flowing hair glistening in the evening light, the warm gaze in her eyes filled with undeniable devotion. The moment was all too much for Elsa. And before she knew it, the words had left her mouth.

"Can I kiss you?"

Anna's smile was radiant as she responded to the familiar question.

"Please."

Time seemed to slow.

The two leaned into each other, accepting the contact that they both yearned for.

Closer and closer until their noses were touching.

_I love you._

But then just like before...

They were interrupted.

A gust of harsh wind blew between them forcing them apart.

"Oh for the love of…" Anna growled, prepared to give a peace of her mind to whoever had decided to interrupt their intimate moment again, but stopped herself short as she recognized the being that had shown up before them.

"Gale?" Anna and Elsa both said in unison.

It was indeed the wind spirit. Unseeing in form but undoubtedly present as a visible item was being held up by a draft of air.

Elsa noticed something was off. The spirit almost seemed to be talking to her, whispering weakly. The energy usually accompanied with the spirit seemed to be fading as the blonde could feel his lifeforce diminishing as well.

"He's dying." She stated.

Anna looked at her disbelievingly. "What?"

As if their words had been heard, the spirit disappeared completely, zephyr dissipating into stillness. The item previously being held up by the spirit dropped into Elsa's open hands.

The blonde's heart stopped.

It was Yelena's staff.

Only…

There was blood on it.

Just like that, their date was over and the love of the moment gone. Her body shook at the forboding darkness that suddenly seemed to hang over them.

Elsa met Anna's gaze with a look of urgency, her voice speaking the truth that none of them wanted to hear.

"Something's wrong."


	9. Wounded

"I'm coming with you." Anna said firmly.

It wasn't a question.

Her gaze was firm. Unyielding. But strangely, soft at the same time. A beacon of support serving as a form of reprieve to the crisis presented to them.

Elsa's instinctive reaction was to say no, as was her usual thought process when Anna's safety was a concern. But the habitual direction that her mind was traveling towards consequently brought forth a sense of deja vu.

This was the very same situation that had happened in Northuldra six months ago. The very same conflict, the argument being the preservation of the other's well being. And they both remembered the underlying stagnance that had been a part of the disagreement.

But even more so, Elsa could never forget the hurt that had followed after she had chosen to push the younger girl away.

She was determined to not let history repeat itself. Never again.

Things were different now, and they both knew it. They were two sides of the same coin.

A team.

' _Together?'_ Anna's question earlier in the day spoke out to her.

Elsa nodded, answering to both her own doubts and Anna's. The younger girl responded with a grateful smile, immediately feeling a huge weight of relief that accompanied her sister's acquiescence.

Now that she knew that Anna was coming with her, the older girl turned her attention to the waters of the harbor, and attempted to beckon Nokk to her.

She waited. A minute turning into two. Two turning into five.

No evidence of the spirit came, and Elsa felt her chest tighten. Something was definitely wrong.

She forced herself to take a deep breath to relax herself.

She took a step back, deciding on an alternative solution. She had never tried this before, but it was important that she made this work. Channeling her magic, the queen shot her arms forward to conjure a new creation, tendrils of ice encircling the area around them contributing to the formation at work.

When it was done, Anna's jaw dropped at the result.

A winged snow-dragon covered in icy scales roared mightily through the town, causing the people to all turn their attention to the harbor. Slowly, a crowd encircled them, curious, and Mattias, who had happened to be in the area on patrol, broke through the front to meet them.

"Your Majesties, what's going on?" He said, trying to gather the twos' attention.

Anna's eyes met his own and she quickly ran up to him to brief the situation.

"Mattias, something's wrong in Northulda." A tone of urgency palpable in her voice as she showed the man the item that Gale had brought to them.

His eyes widened at the familiar staff in her hands, the notable distinction of blood dripping on its end bringing a sense of unease to the general.

"I'm going with Elsa." She said.

Mattias only needed to look at the queen's eyes once to understand the conviction held there. Anna was decided on this.

He nodded. "Go."

"I leave you in charge." She turned to look at the people that had gathered around them, a worried expression appearing on her face. "Take care of them, Mattias." Anna whispered pleadingly.

"I will. Promise you'll come back safe." He glanced at Elsa and then back to her. "Both of you."

Anna smiled resolutely. "I promise." She said before returning to the edge of the pier where her ride was waiting.

Elsa, who was already sitting on top of their new companion, offered her a hand. She took it. The beast puffed a breath of cold air, acknowledging his other mistress.

"Let's go." She said to Elsa, settling herself behind the blonde.

The older girl nodded, and beckoned the dragon upward, the icy beast's wings unfurled and began to beat, lifting them off the ground. The people of Arendelle below grew smaller and smaller, till the details on the many faces were no longer discernible.

The three reached the peak of their ascent, and the beast proceeded to fly across the fjord at max velocity, much to Anna's unexpected delight.

"This is….Amazing!" Anna yelled over the wind rushing past her face. The wind whipped her hair and dress about as she let herself indulge in the feeling of elation. Flying was most certainly more invigorating than riding.

Elsa remained quiet, and Anna leaned in close to her from behind.

"Hey...Everything will be alright. I'm sure they're just fine." Anna said comfortingly.

Elsa took a deep breath and nodded, and smiled at the younger girl.

Despite her sister's encouragement, however, the older girl couldn't shake off a certain feeling or eeriness.

She sensed a foreboding darkness.

Awaiting them with a predatory smile.

* * *

**Twelve hours prior**

Hans's boots thudded heavily against the deck of the ship as he approached the bow. The sun had yet to appear on the horizon, but the orange hues in the sky heralded its imminent entrance. He fixed Caleb with an unyielding stare.

"How much further?" he asked. The prince in front of him gestured to the headland a half a mile away that connected the land to the right to the fjord. "A few more minutes." he declared. "According to the maps, it should be just beyond this passway. If not, then roughly another ten minutes I would estimate."

The young king nodded his approval. "Good," he simply said. Then, face morphing to one of gruesome delight, he pulled an item seemingly out of thin air, black whisps circling in space until a small purple fragment, jagged and hard, rough like a shard of a dark obsidian plate emerged from the makeshift portal. It hummed with an ominousness all its own power, as if it had been carved out of the shadows itself.

"Have you ever heard of the tale of the four spirits, Caleb?" he said to the prince standing anxiously at his side.

Caleb swallowed and stared at the artifact in his hand. "No, I hav-"

"Oh, what am I saying. Of course you haven't," He interrupted. "How foolish of me to assume that you might have had even the slightest hint of intelligence to have pursued any form of research in your measly years of life." He approached the prince, twirling the shard between his fingers before letting it hover dangerously close to Caleb's face.

"No matter. You'll bear witness to it's retelling soon enough, with a slight twist however..." The prince felt himself sweat at the power that seemed to be emanating from the relic.

"Conquering is all about adding more to your arsenal."" He smirked, staring down at the dark fragment held in his hands. "Elsa's not the only thing that we came here for."

He waved his hand, the black shard disappearing into the unseen space it came from.

Suddenly, a man at the very forefront of the ship yelled out to the rest of the crew. "Land ho! The forest is in sight!"

Hans made his way to the railing, watching the edge of the enchanted forest slowly approach the ship. Dawn was settling on the waters around them, the first rays of sun illuminating the waters of the fjord in an almost hesitant way, as if they were heralding the arrival of evil.

"Let's have some fun, shall we?"

* * *

It was late in the night when they arrived, and a faint glow could be seen from their position in the sky. A sense of measured fear greeted the two sisters as they descended into the forest clearing; it became a hushed shock when the canopy parted, and revealed the view of the campsite and all that remained at the heart of the forest.

Anna and Elsa gasped simultaneously.

It was worse than they could have possibly feared.

Northuldra was a war zone. Smoke clouded the air heavily as the numerous tents of the village burned, flames engulfing the entirety of the tribal grounds.

They quickly dismounted, and Elsa's heart stopped as she took in the stench of blood and the horrific imagery that seared into her memory like a brand.

Anna's hand flew to her mouth. "Oh my god," she breathed.

Bodies upon bodies were littered amongst the wreckage. Men, women, and children alike. Elsa watched in horror as a corpse too close to the flames began catching fire. She quickly shot out a bolt of ice in an attempt to quell the flames on the body. There was no movement or reaction from whoever it was that laid there, and both sisters felt nausea course through them at the unsightly revelation of death.

Elsa brought the younger girl close to her, walking cautiously through the wreckage in hopes of finding an answer. An explanation. Anything to stop the gut-wrenching pain in her chest at seeing the lifelessness in the eyes of those that laid around them.

The count of bodies continued to grow, and Elsa started breathing heavily in panic.

There had to be someone left. She couldn't have been too late...

A cough to their right startled the both of them, but shock was quickly replaced by relief at the glimmer of potential life. The two rushed to the source of the sound.

It was a Northuldran man, lying on the ground next to a tree. He groaned at their approach, and Elsa realized alarmingly that he was very seriously injured, bleeding profusely from a large gash in his torso. Elsa went over to him and knelt at his side, quickly extending her hands over the wound to seal up the cut with a layer of ice.

Anna joined her at his side, and reached out to hold the man's blood-covered hands. "Hey..." said Anna soothingly, "Everything's going to be alright. You're gonna be just fine…"

The man's eyes slowly came into focus as he looked up at them feebly.

"What happened?" Elsa asked urgently.

The man was going in and out of consciousness, but forced himself to speak to his rescuers. "They attacked us…We were no match for him...the spirits...were-" He managed weakly before coughing up heavy amounts of blood.

"Who's 'him'?" Elsa demanded.

A terrifying scream shattered the air, and Elsa jumped to her feet with a start.

Her eyes hardened. There was her answer.

Before Anna could stop her, Elsa vaulted towards the direction of the scream.

Anna's heart stopped as she desperately tried to get her sister's attention. " _Elsa_! Stop! You can't go out there!" She yelled, still kneeling next to the man who had just slipped into unconsciousness.

But the blonde couldn't hear the younger girl's shouts past the loud thumping in her chest. She propelled herself forward on a thick layer of snow, traveling deeper and deeper into the forest.

* * *

Tree branches flew past her as she moved rapidly through the crowded foliage. It was too dark for her to be able to make out her surroundings clearly, but she continued to follow the general direction where she heard the scream come from.

The small light of fire in her peripherals was what ultimately gave away the location, and Elsa burst through the clearing quickly.

Eyes fell on her entrance, and she studied the scene before her. Her heart lifted slightly at the group of twenty or thirty Northuldran that were huddled together to the side, but it quickly boiled into anger as she took in their beaten and battered down state.

She glared at their attackers.

Thirty men-at-arms, at least, preceded by the appearance of someone who looked so familiar that Elsa had to look twice. He was dressed in a gigantic cloak that dragged on the ground behind him, and on his head peeked the spires of a purple crown, the surface studded gaudily with jewels of black.

As different as his apparel may have suggested, Elsa felt her hands clench as she stared at the all too familiar grin on the man's face, pure revulsion coursing through her. It was unmistakable.

"Hans." She bit out the name distastefully.

"Well, well, well." Hans drawled. "Our favorite ice queen has arrived. I was wondering how much more of this ridiculous race I had to kill for you to finally decide to show up."

Elsa glared hatefully. "What the hell do you think you're doing here?"

The man chuckled. "Looks like someone isn't too happy to see me again." He smiled sweetly at her. "I must say, however, that I am _very_ pleased to see you again, my dear Elsa." Her skin shuddered at his creepy tone.

"Well now you have me. So what's stopping me from freezing you and your men into an eternal glacier?" She spat.

"Ah, Elsa please. You misunderstand!" He placated mockingly. "I'm simply here to negotiate with you. No need for such hostility."

Anger exploded in her. "Hostility? You murdered hundreds of innocent lives, you bastard!"

Hans shrugged his shoulders. "Turned out well, wouldn't you say? The queen of Arendelle now stands before me, just as I knew she would." He said with a grin.

Elsa snapped. The casualness and smugness to his words. The implication that his acts of murder were nothing but a form of leverage. They infuriated her beyond repair. She brought her hands up, cold magic ready to be unleashed from her fingertips to eradicate the man standing across from her.

"Ah ah ah." Hans warned. "Might want to be careful with what you're doing there, sweetheart."

Hans stepped aside to reveal one of his men holding a knife to the neck of a young boy, likely no older than nine or ten, his arms were wrapped around his back and being held tight by the guard's other hand. Sprawled on the ground behind the boy was a young Northuldran woman, maybe thirty years of age, very likely the child's mother. She was reaching out for the boy, crying, but the firm grip of another guard held her back.

"Let him go." She demanded.

"You're in no position to make any requests, Elsa," he countered. "But _I_ am." The man holding the knife pressured the blade closer to the boy's neck, causing the young child to cry out. "So let's discuss what _I_ want, shall we?"

Elsa felt her confidence waver and the magic drain away from her hands.

"What do you want?"

Hans grinned victoriously. "Ah see, was that really so hard?"

"I _said,_ what do you want?" She bit out again, though much more angrily.

Hans chuckled at her frustration.

"It's simply really." He said. "Surrender. Your kingdom and your allegiance."

Elsa narrowed her eyes. "My allegiance…?"

"From now on you will serve me. As my right hand. The weapon to my conquest."

Elsa could hardly believe the audacity of the man as she growled. "You're a fool if you think I would actually agree to that."

Hans sighed, disappointed by the queen's defiance. "I figured you wouldn't cave that easily."

Suddenly, his eyes hardened.

"But you would be a bigger fool to think of me as a man of mercy."

Elsa felt instant regret at her words as the king looked sharply towards the man holding the blade to the child's neck. "Kill him."

"No!" Elsa screamed, trying to dispel her magic in time, but the distance between them was too far.

Then, from seemingly out of nowhere, a figure from the shadows dashed towards the child's captor followed by a flash of steel swinging through the air. A gargling sound burst from the man's throat as red blossomed forth from his chest as he fell, dead on the solid ground. The child was swept into the savior's arms, and the pair slid ten feet away from Hans and his henchmen.

Two twin braids came into view and a familiar voice spoke down to the trembling child. "Are you okay?"

Elsa's eyes widened in recognition. "Anna?"

Hans stared at the unexpected entrance. A brief crack became evident in his composure, as a hint of surprise marred the king's countenance. He quickly recovered, however, and looked angrily at his men. "What are you useless pigs doing? Seize her!"

At his command, five burly men stepped forward menacingly, all equipped with an array of axes and swords.

Anna fixed the group of men with a cold stare.

They lurched towards her, weapons outstretched, and she ushered the child behind her and stood up, sword held ready to receive them. The first one went quick, running in, sword held back over head to strike her, but Anna was quicker. Her whole body twisted with the force of her swing hitting him in the neck, instantly putting him down. The second man followed immediately, axe in hand. He swung down hard at her but a quick side step moved her out of its path and into the perfect position to counter. She brought her sword down across the back of his head and he fell lifeless next to the first.

The other three slid to a stop, seeing their fallen comrades and eyeing her warily. They adapted quickly and surrounded her. She held her weapon up by her ear, taking a long, slow, calming breath through her nose.

'Use their numbers against them', a voice rang out in her head.

She was a monsoon, a calm stillness unmatched in poise. Deadly, as she felt the fibers of her muscles build up in anticipation.

The three guards attacked. Anna matched them blow for blow, weaving through them effortlessly and slashing and cutting and parrying and riposting. She moved swiftly, inhumanly so, all sharp pivots and turns contributing to an optimal position where the three guards could not attack her at the same time without the possibility of harming the other.

And then, a snap. An opening presented to her. All the build-up in her form was unleashed in a blur of speed as Anna spun deftly, and lunged, aiming for their throats. Three swings barely discernible to the eye, evident only by the sprays of blood that emerged from the three guards as they joined their previous two comrades on the ground.

She wiped the blood from her blade with a downward swipe, standing firmly between the Northuldran survivors and remaining men of the Southern Isles, and then eyed Hans with a piercing glare.

Elsa stared breathlessly.

She had been prepared to repel her sister's attackers, but before she could have taken a single point of action, the guards had fallen in a frenzy of blood. Anna hadn't hesitated in the slightest in taking the mens' lives.

The calm storm held in her eyes brought back the familiar words.

_As long as she's alive and by my side, nothing can stop me._

Gone was the sweet, innocent girl that delighted in the warm hugs of her family.

The kind ruler that danced and sung with the many people of her kingdom.

Right now, Anna was a warrior.

And she would kill as many southern isle guards as she needed to until Elsa was safe.

The notion was terrifying, but she forced the thought aside for now, and her attention quickly snapped back to Hans. She needed to capture him first and this was her chance. With a hostage no longer at his disposal, the man was powerless to stop her.

Elsa whipped her arm towards him. Ice erupted from the ground and rocketed towards him with the full intention of imprisoning him.

She felt herself smirk.

The man was careless if he truly thought he had the upper hand against her.

But then, just as the ice was about to reach Hans, a wall of shadows emerged from the ground. Her ice slammed into it with heavy impact, and then shattered with an ear-splitting shriek.

Elsa gasped, and stumbled backwards. Her smirk from before instantly replaced with shock.

_Magic…but how?_

She wasn't given the chance to dwell on her surprise.

The man extended a hand and dark pulse spiraled along the length of his arm and launched at Elsa as a gargantuan wave of black that dwarfed her entirely.

Elsa stood her ground, reached out, and caught the blast with an icy blast of her own. She struggled but was able to withstand the impact. Shadows pulsed and writhed against her defense, but the cold she radiated spread throughout the black mass, frost creeping up the shadows until it froze over.

Hans, not giving her any time to recover, sent a barrage of dark flames arcing towards her. She whipped her arm forward, sending a wave of snow crashing towards the attack, but what should have been bone-crushing force only melted, and the piecing black flames shot through and continued to rocket towards her.

Elsa raised her free arm, and an arc of ice bloomed just in time to block the fire projectiles. The two attacks met with frightening force, and her ice finally won out, dispersing the flames into an explosion of whisps.

Hans grinned madly at their clash of power. A crazed expression. Characteristic of a frenetic animal.

Elsa stared back defiantly, trying to keep her panic in control. "How did you obtain that magic?" She demanded.

The former prince didn't answer, his gaze instead subtly shifting to the other royal present in the area.

Her heart stopped.

Hans launched his shadows at Anna, but the moment he moved Elsa reacted. With an upwards swing of her hand, the snow below the Sorcerer's arm burst forth, and though it took everything she had to maintain her precision, she managed to extend her reach just far enough. Snow wrapped around both of Hans's wrists, dragging him down. He stumbled. His attack missed and sputtered ineffectually against the ground.

As if Anna read her mind, the younger girl capitalized on the opportunity.

Anna darted forward, dashing through the space between her and Hans's vulnerable form almost instantly, sword bared, aiming for the man's neck.

Even in the face of death, the small cluck of annoyance from Hans was audible. All at once, a wave of black exploded in the space around him, tearing apart the hold of ice on his hands, and sending Anna catapulting backwards through the air.

"Anna!" Elsa screamed, flinging out her hands to create a thick pile of snow where the younger girl was about to hit the ground.

Anna landed harmlessly on the cushion, and blinked in surprise at the soft snow around her. Elsa sighed in relief, the girl seeming for the most part unharmed, and then turned back to face Hans.

The man's expression was livid, frustration fuming from his countenance. The blonde felt her body tense, in preparation for what was most certainly going to be another attack. For good measure, she propelled herself to Anna's side, now in a favorable position to protect them both.

But suddenly, the anger drained away from Han's face and he sighed heavily. He snapped his fingers at his remaining men who were now cowering behind a set of trees at the power demonstrated by the two sisters.

"We're leaving." Hans said.

Elsa saw red. "You think I'll let you leave just like that? After all the people that you've killed here!" She yelled.

"I am regretful our time together has to end this way." Hans' lips curled upward ever so slightly. "But I have everything that I came here for."

Hans took one last glance at Anna, barely able to hide his frown for the former princess.

He looked back at the blonde. "Farewell, Elsa. I'll be seeing you _very_ soon." Hans said ominously.

"You're not going anywhere, you coward!" Elsa shot her hands out. Giant tombs of ice rushed forward towards Hans and his men, but circles of shadow engulfed their forms, and they disappeared before her magic could reach them.

Elsa breathed heavily.

They were gone. No signs of the men remained, and the queen dropped to her knees in exhaustion.

Her mind was far too cluttered with questions for her to make sense of everything.

How did Hans have magic? He had said that he had obtained something, but what? And what had happened to the spirits?

Elsa bit her lip in frustration. So many questions, with almost no answers.

Just then, a sudden noise from behind her disrupted the dissonance in her mind. She whirled around and heard crying. The group or remaining Northuldra were crowded close in a circle, all fixated on something in the center. Elsa made her way through, and the people parted for her. Once she saw who it was at the center, she gasped.

If there was any solace for this night, it was that they had managed to save the remaining lives here. Thirty out of hundreds. A silver lining of victory to grasp onto.

But as she took in the sight of Honeymaren crying and holding the broken and battered form of Yelena close to her, Anna kneeling helplessly at their side.

Elsa couldn't feel anything but defeat.

* * *

Caleb stared mindlessly out at the empty waters of the shore.

He couldn't believe that Hans made him in charge of watching the ship, after specifically saying that he would be able to witness the 'tale of the four spirits'. And it looked like he was taking his sweet time too. The prince had been sitting at the helm of the ship for the past twelve hours.

"For fuck's sake, bastard doesn't even tell me when he's coming back…"

At his words, verbarations sounded behind him, and the prince turned to see shadowy portals emerge along the deck, as the king he was speaking ill of, stepped through the dark gateway, followed by the majority of the assembled southern isles guards.

"Caleb, we're leaving." Hans said impassively.

Caleb remained silent. He didn't have to look to know that the king was in a sour mood. The violent aura the man was giving off was a clear indicator of his lack of patience left, as he left the helm and walked silently to his quarters.

Hans closed the door behind him with a slam. Now free to express his frustrations he slammed a fist against the room's wall, causing the wood to crack and an imprint of his fist to remain.

He had underestimated her.

Not the queen.

But the princess of all people...

He hadn't considered even the slightest possibility that the younger royal would be a hindrance to his plan. The woman was a fool, a clutz that acted on whims. Three years ago, her 'act of true love' was what had ultimately foiled his attempt at taking the throne. But Hans knew that it had been nothing more than just pure luck.

Yet here she was again. Once more, an obstacle to his conquest. It was infuriating.

Worse more, was the look that had been in her eyes. The message had been clear.

_I'll kill you._

He hated to admit it.

But she was strong now.

Hans chuckled to himself, and he smiled, big and wide.

_So that's how it's going to be._

The door to his quarters opened and a crew member walked in. "Your Majesty, Sir Caleb would like to know where our next dest-"

The man wasn't able to finish as his head lolled to the ground.

Hans looked in disgust at the corpse, remnants of dark magic still whistling from his extended hand. "You have some gall to not knock before entering, swine." He said.

"As for your question…"

The king once again conjured a portal to pull out a familiar black shard.

Only now, the relic looked much more different than it had at the start of the day. It was larger. A polyhedron almost the size of a human heart. Four of its five sides etched with glowing hieroglyphics, humming with tantalizing power.

Powerful. But imperfect.

_One more left…_

He had hoped for today to have been his moment of revival, but it looked like there was going to have to be a change in plans.

"Just you wait, Anna. I'll have you regret for getting in my way again..."

* * *

It was early in the morning in the harbors of Arendelle, the light of sunrise still waiting to make its appearance. Mattias had waited by the docks for the entire night since the sisters' departure, knowing full well that he wouldn't be finding any hints of sleep till their return.

Which is why when he was finally able to make out a ship sailing into the port, the general had almost collapsed with relief. It wasn't the dragon that they had originally flown from, but he immediately knew it was them from the fact that the boat was made out of flawless ice.

The ship reached the pier. Ridges and crests formed what was indeed a vessel: stern, bow, masts, sail, all made from beautiful crystals of water.

He hadn't known how to react, however, when he saw a group of around thirty Northuldran men, women, and children sitting along the deck, eyes all casted downward melancholically. Elsa, having just disembarked, approached him, an emotionless expression written on her face.

"These are all the survivors. Take them to the infirmary to be treated by Oliver. When you're done, come to the council hall where I'll update you on the situation." She ordered without any hesitation. Her words weren't necessarily stern, mostly just dispassionate. Unfeeling. Like an empty shell with no sense of emotion.

Mattias nodded, though slightly uncertain, and Elsa began walking back to the castle. Anna, who had been standing behind her, had on a much more readable expression of sadness.

The general reached out for the younger queen's hand as she attempted to follow Elsa. "What happened?" He asked, concern clear in his voice.

But the redhead simply shook her head. "At the meeting." She answered, and ran to catch up with her sister.

He turned to look at the group of Northuldran leave the ship, and when a familiar unconscious face came into view, his eyes widened in recognition. He was beginning to understand why the two women had been the way they were.

He ran up to help the two men that were carrying the tribe elder's unconscious form. He took in the bruises and cuts along Yelena's body. She was alive, but barely so.

Honeymaren, who was standing close by, whispered a small thank you at his assistance. Her eyes still distraught and in tears at all that had apparently happened.

His heart softened. "Hey...Everything's okay now. You guys are going to be just fine." He tried comforting the young woman.

But Mattias knew better.

The results spoke for itself.

If these were truly the only remaining Northuldran left, then 'okay' was the last thing that anyone was feeling right now.

They walked in silence as he led them to the castle infirmary.

* * *

"This is preposterous! Why would King Arrius allow such a thing?"

"Perhaps he didn't. Hans could very well be acting on his own here."

"Could it have been a coup…?"

"Of course it was a coup! The bastard has magic now. Dark magic even. And that would explain why our communications with them have been cut off..."

"How did he obtain magic?"

"It doesn't matter how he obtained it! This is most certainly a declaration of war. We should take the initiative and make a move before he can recover!"

"And risk the lives of all our men? Are you insane? Did you completely miss the part where he wiped out almost all the Northuldrans?"

"Well it's certainly better than sitting here and twiddling our thumbs, waiting for this mass murderer to strike again! Oh how foolish of me to have forgotten that you're used to lounging around and doing absolutely nothing."

"You better watch your tongue, you insolent-"

"Silence!" Mattias yelled out over the bickering advisors.

The group quieted at the general's words, and then looked to their two queens at the far end of the table, shame quickly overtaking them as they realized how childish they were behaving in the presence of their monarchs.

Elsa was still as calm as ever. An unexpected control of poise, that was almost unsettling to the six. The older queen hadn't demonstrated even the slightest hints of emotion throughout the meeting. Even in her retelling of what had happened, the blonde had remained stoic.

Elsa shut her eyes for a brief moment before speaking up to address her audience.

"For now, send letters out to Corona and Hedmark to inform them of the situation. It's possible that Hans will try to attack them as well if the pattern of who they cancelled trade with is anything to go off of. Worst comes to worst, I want their armies to be prepared to support us."

She turned to look at Mattias. "We'll increase the lengths of our security along the perimeter of the city, both from the land and the fjord as a countermeasure. I don't want there to be panic amongst our people, so keep it subtle." Mattias responded with a nod.

No arguments came from the six as they too nodded silently, all of them aware of the unquestionable finality to the sovereign's tone.

A quiet passed in the room before Anna spoke up too. The advisors found themselves relaxing slightly as the air around her seemed a lot more agreeable than the other queen's. "Halvor, is it possible for you to work with Corona's ambassador to monitor the status around the Southern Isles? I don't want anything too dangerous to be done, but it would be great if we could gather more information on the current state of their kingdom."

The older man nodded. "It will be done, Your Majesty." Anna smiled gratefully.

The redhead looked at Elsa briefly. Studying her sister's face, and then turned back to face the advisors.

"It's been a long night. Elsa and I will retire to our rooms to rest for the remainder of the day." She stood. "We can reconvene tomorrow to discuss any further actions."

The group of advisors bowed, concluding the meeting as Elsa and Anna eventually made their way out of the council hall.

They paced in silence towards their chambers, while Anna walked in tow slightly behind. Her eyes were focused on the back of Elsa's head the entire way.

The older girl hadn't said a word to her since they left Northuldra.

Anna followed after Elsa into their shared bedroom, closing the door behind them softly. Leaving them alone for the first time today. Now that it was just the two of them, the silence felt beyond oppressive.

Elsa's back was still facing her, and she felt her chest tighten in anticipation.

The older girl had been composed in the presence of their advisors and their people as soon as they had returned, and that professionalism was more than what Anna could've asked for from her sister. She had been so strong, so brave to be able to have the composure of what a ruler should demonstrate in the face of a tragedy.

But Anna also knew how painful it was for the older girl to have put up that front, how much guilt was really being held in underneath the mask of indifference.

So when Elsa finally cracked, and her body started shaking slowly, Anna was instantly stepping from behind and wrapping her arms around the older girl's waist.

"It's okay. You can let go now." She whispered softly.

And that was all that needed to be said for Elsa to break completely. The older girl whipped around and pressed her face into Anna's shoulder. A sob escaped her lips as she finally let the tears fall. The older girl hadn't realized how much grief had built up inside her in her attempt to conceal the pain. Her cries intensified as the redhead brought them to a sitting position on the floor.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," she repeated over and over. Anna wrapped her arms tighter around the older girl.

"It wasn't your fault." The younger girl said firmly. "You couldn't have known that this would happen. It was Hans. He's the one who did this."

Elsa shook her head. "But what if I never left, Anna? If I had stayed...I could've protected them...before he..."

Elsa was interrupted as Anna brought her hands up to cup the older girl's cheeks.

"Stop."

And Elsa did. The distraught queen looked up hesitantly into the fiery gaze of her sister.

"Don't do this to yourself, Elsa. There's no one to blame here but Hans. And I'm not going to sit here and let you hurt yourself like this."

Elsa whimpered as she buried herself deeper into her sister's arms.

"I'm scared..." The vulnerability in Elsa's voice made Anna's heart clench. "I've always thought that my powers would be enough to protect people, but...if you hadn't been there...that boy would have...died. I couldn't save him...and when I saw Hans's powers…I realized something…"

"I don't think I can beat him..." Elsa finished shakily.

The words gave her pause. Anna never doubted once that Elsa's magic was amazing. It was beautiful. Awe inspiring. And at times she wondered just how much power truly laid beneath those delicate hands.

But then the frightening images of the destruction that had been inflicted on the Northuldran village creeped up into her mind.

When she thought of the manipulativeness and pure deceit of Han's character, the vile and uncanny evil at his demonstration of magic from today...

For the first time in her life, Anna wasn't sure if Elsa could win either.

But her sister had left out one important fact.

Anna brought their foreheads together, and stared deep into her sister's eyes.

"But you're not alone." She whispered.

Elsa felt her breath shudder as Anna's warmth overwhelmed her.

The statement held so much power, yet was spoken with such a tenderness that Elsa could practically feel her heart being wrapped up in a gentle embrace of comfort.

It just wasn't fair. Elsa was just beginning to grasp onto the happiness that she had spent almost her entire life hiding from. Things were starting to look right for them. And in a blink of an eye, the world had thrown them into chaos yet again, almost mockingly.

Anna's solace had brought her a form of reprieve but Elsa felt tears consume her again. This time to mourn for the both of them.

"Why?" She whispered into Anna's neck. "Why is this happening to us? Why can't the world just let us be..?" She asked, pain laced deeply in her voice.

For once, Anna didn't have an answer for the blonde, the feeling of unfairness resonating just as strongly for the younger girl.

"I don't know…" She admitted.

At that, Elsa choked out another sob and buried herself deeper into Anna's arms.

The two sisters remained in their position on the floor for the remainder of the day, falling apart in each other's embrace.

The healing touch of the other, being the only remedy for their wounds.


	10. Healing

Queen Anna, you have a visitor." Kai said after finally managing to find the young sovereign walking towards the dining hall of the castle. He had suspected the girl to still be in bed at this time, but had failed to find the redhead when he had checked in her chambers earlier.

Anna blinked in surprise at the message, it was rare for someone to visit this early in the morning, especially if it was a dignitary.

"A visitor? Who is it?"

At her question, the head servant simply smiled before bowing and leaving to return to his duties, causing Anna to tilt her head in confusion.

The queen made her way to the castle gates to meet her unnamed visitor, feeling slight annoyance at the fact that Kai couldn't just simply tell her who it was. His behavior became justified however, when she exited the foyer and a familiar blonde came into view, and she felt herself freeze.

"Hey." He said with a soft smile as she came close enough for her to hear him.

"Kristoff…"

He looked just the same as he did before she had departed to bring back Elsa. The same thick fur tunic and dark trousers, accompanied with the same soft-hearted smile. It made her queasy. Three weeks was a rather short time, but considering all that had happened, the time away felt far much longer in the redhead's mind. It did little to alleviate the awkward tension that suddenly weighed heavily onto her mind. Though they left on a rather positive note, a breakup was still a breakup. Kristoff should have, and had every right to keep his distance, even if it meant forever.

Now that he had shown up unannounced, Anna wasn't exactly sure what to say, and the silence persisted as the queen timidly kept her distance from the ice harvester.

Kristoff didn't hesitate to close that distance as he walked up to her.

"I heard what happened...at Northuldra." He said.

Oh.

If she had to be honest, this was the first time anyone outside of Elsa had spoken of the incident to her since the day they had returned.

"I thought that maybe you needed a hug from this old stinky friend of yours?" Kristoff asked with a smile and offered his open arms.

The queen stared blankly at the man.

If it was anyone else, Anna would've declined. She didn't want to have to look wounded in front of her people. She needed to follow Elsa's example, who had remained unwavering in the face of the public, as a strong queen should.

But this was Kristoff. The man who had had his heart broken by her. The man who had every reason to hate her, but instead had come to comfort her in favor of what was potentially his own level of hurt.

He was her stinky best friend.

Anna ran into his arms and hugged him tightly, accepting the man's comfort, and resultantly...

Resolving the unspoken awkwardness.

"I'm sorry for your loss." Kristoff said softly as he brought his arms around her.

Anna hugged the man tighter, staying that way for a few moments to appreciate his comforting presence, before finally scooting back to smile gratefully. "Thank you, Kristoff…"

He patted the shorter girl on the head. "Don't mention it."

Anna looked towards the castle invitingly. "Would you like to join me for breakfast?"

The blonde laughed.

"Of course. Can't turn down a free meal can I?"

* * *

"Soooo, Olaf came by to visit the other day." Kristoff said matter of factly after swallowing a spoonful of potatoes.

Anna's face lit up at the mention of the snowman. "Aww, that's nice! He was really excited to see your home. Little guy has such a big heart."

"He does." Kristoff agreed with a nod. "And while he was there he also informed me of some...news." He said the last part carefully.

"Oh yeah?"

"About you." He looked at her pointedly.

Anna raised an eyebrow.

"And Elsa."

Oh. Of course…

She probably should've told Olaf to keep her and Elsa's relationship quiet for the time being.

"Annnnd?" Anna drawled while narrowing her eyes in suspicion.

Kristoff smiled mischievously. "Have y'all done it?"

"Done what-"

The blonde man wiggled his eyebrows.

"Kristoff!"

"What?" Kristoff raised his arms up innocently. "I can't be curious about my ex/best friend's sex life?"

"No!" Anna said defensively. "You don't just go around asking the _queen_ if she made love with her sister!"

"So, y'all did do it." Kristoff concluded.

"Ugh…" Anna dragged her hand across her face.

The man didn't stop there. "What does she have that I don't? Well...besides the obvious"

"Kristoff!" This time the redhead raised her fork, ready to throw it at the ice harvester.

"Okay, okay!" The man once again brought his hands up in surrender. "It was just a joke. I'll make sure to keep the sex questions to a minimum in the future."

"You better…" Anna muttered.

"At least y'all are happy together. That's about all I can ask for really. God knows how long you love sick puppies have been holding out on each other." Kristoff teased.

When Anna didn't offer a jibe back, responding only with silence, the blonde quickly dropped his playful attitude.

"Hey...what's wrong?" He asked with concern.

Anna perked up, clearly deep in her thoughts previously at Kristoff's comment, but then broke eye contact and looked away. "It's...nothing."

'Nothing' in Anna's terms may as well have meant everything. Kristoff was pretty sure he knew what the girl was thinking about, or rather _who_ she was thinking about.

"It's about Elsa isn't it?" Kristoff guessed. "Is…she okay?"

At the mention of the blonde's name, Anna conceded and sighed. She wasn't nearly as good at hiding her worries as Elsa was.

"She's been a bit...distant in the past three days ever since we came back from Northuldra." Anna admitted.

"Distant?" Kristoff asked. That wasn't...entirely surprising. "Is she...locking herself in her study again?"

Anna shook her head. "No, thankfully not. It's just that...she always seems on edge whenever I see her." She said worriedly. "Distracted."

Kristoff's lips curled slightly in amusement. "I mean this is practically a war, Anna. It would be more crazy if she wasn't on edge don't you think?" He laughed softly at his own comment.

"I guess…" Anna didn't seem too convinced. "I think it's less about her anxiety for what's going to happen, and more about her guilt...for all the people that were killed." She said the last part sadly.

It became quiet again. The topic of the conversation turning to one of a gloomy nature. The remaining Northuldran were currently residing in the castle for the time being. Sadly, it was the only choice available to them as Yelena had still yet to wake from her state of unconsciousness.

Though she had it made it clear to Elsa that the elder's condition wasn't her fault, she knew that her sister deep down would always subconsciously blame herself.

"Why not ask her?" Kristoff proposed.

Anna shook her head in response. "I don't think she wants to talk about it. I don't want to force her to either."

The answer didn't satisfy the blonde, and he crossed his arms to further emphasize his discontent. "Well if there's anyone that she's comfortable around it's you. I know Elsa's not the best communicator, but sometimes talking about things is the best form of healing even when they don't want to talk about it." He reasoned.

"Some wounds are meant to be left alone to heal on their own." Anna responded with a retort.

"True, but some wounds are also more severe than they appear to be."

Anna paused, and took in Kristoff's words. She didn't have an argument for that, and she knew that deep down he was right. She had hidden her own wound of how hurt she had felt when Elsa had first left Arendelle to live in Northuldra, and it ended up leaving a scar on her heart that still hurt to this very day.

In that time, she had desperately yearned for someone to talk to. It's just that the person that she had wanted to talk to in particular hadn't been there.

She hated to admit it, but part of her was still scared that Elsa would turn away from her if she pushed her too much, and it was for that reason why she had decided to give Elsa space in the last few days.

But Kristoff was right. Elsa needed her right now. Even if she herself didn't believe it.

Anna looked up at him with a smirk. "Since when did you become so wise?"

Kristoff shrugged nonchalantly.

"I learned that line from Pabbie." He admitted with a laugh.

She rolled her eyes. "Of course you did...You and your love experts."

Kristoff smiled softly and got up from his seat to walk over to the redhead, placing a hand on her shoulder comfortingly.

"Go talk to her."

Anna smiled, resting her hand over the blonde's.

"Thanks, Kristoff."

* * *

It wasn't until the evening that Anna found the chance to finally be able to see her sister. The older girl had been occupied with a busy schedule of meetings to discuss changes in their military arrangements for the impending conflict, while she herself had taken the time out of her day to visit the remaining families of Northuldra, giving them a tour through the town square in hopes of bringing a lighter mood to the group.

Anna had returned during her and Elsa's usual, agreed dinner time, but unfortunately did not see the platinum blonde present in the dining hall.

She had waited. A while. Two hours to be precise, but Elsa didn't come. Which was strange, considering that the blonde would have at least told her whether or not she would be skipping the meal. Deciding to take matters into her own hand, the redhead got out of her seat at the table to go find the older girl.

The wind whistled past the windows lining the hallway as she made her way to Elsa's study. She felt herself shiver slightly at the uncharacteristic cold that seemed to intensify as she got closer and closer to her destination. It wasn't too often that it happened, but occasionally Elsa's lack of control over her powers would be on display in a form such as this.

Obviously today Elsa was tense.

Anna tried to keep herself reassured as she rapped lightly on the heavy oak door.

_Knock_

_Knock_

_Knock_

A beat.

"Come in." Came her sister's familiar voice.

Anna turned the knob and pushed the door open. As she stepped inside the study, Elsa's eyes came up from her desk to meet her own.

"Hi." Anna said shyly.

Elsa smiled softly at the sight of the younger girl. "Hi."

"I...didn't see you at dinner earlier." She began, wringing her hands in front of her awkwardly.

Elsa's face transformed into one of guilt. "I didn't make you wait for me did I?" She asked, voice undeniably apologetic.

"No, no! I uh...I actually just finished eating." She said quickly. It was a lie, but the last thing she wanted to do was to make Elsa feel guilty about something as trivial as dinner.

"I'm sorry. I was finishing the letters to be sent out to the other kingdoms regarding the situation. I forgot to tell Kai to let you know that I wouldn't be dining tonight." The blonde apologized.

Anna shook her head to reassure her sister. "Don't worry about it."

Elsa smiled briefly before turning her attention back to the letters in front of her, face falling to that of pensiveness as she reviewed her writing on the parchment. The temperature in the room once again turned cold, and Anna needed only to take a few deliberate steps to make her way to her sister's side.

Anna brought her hands from behind Elsa's sitting position and up to the older girl's temple, the blonde gasping in surprise at the contact.

"Relax." Anna laughed. "You're too tense. I can see your face straining from all the way at the door. And if you haven't noticed, it's freezing in here." Anna threaded her fingers through blonde locks and gently applied pressure along the tightness of Elsa's forehead, causing the blonde to groan in relief. "You're a lot more beautiful when you're relaxed, you know." Her words caught up to her and her eyes widened at her phrasing. "Not that you aren't beautiful when you're stressed! I just mean that...your smile is even more breathtaking. I wish I could see it more often." She said with an awkward laugh.

Elsa chuckled, though it seemed a bit sad. "I wish you could see it more often too…" She replied softly.

Anna didn't miss the regretful tone in the queen's voice, but decided not to say anything about it for now, and continued to knead her fingers along Elsa's head. She moved lower to the taut muscles along the blonde's neck, and Elsa hummed in satisfaction.

When the redhead was finished with her massage, Elsa turned around to look up with a grateful smile.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." Anna said, glad that she could at least satisfy the blonde with a bit of physical relief. The harder part was getting the blonde to open up about whatever was on her mind. "Is...everything all right, Elsa?" She asked somewhat hesitantly. "You've been a little bit...quiet the last few days." Elsa's eyes widened at the observation, but she quickly covered up the gesture with a forced smile.

"I'm fine."

Well...that was about as big of a lie as it gets. She had half of a mind then to go fetch their mother's scarf to aid in relieving Elsa's distress, but she had a feeling that even that sentimental item would do little to open up her sister's current wound up exterior.

Anna brought her fingers to lift Elsa's chin "Your face doesn't match your words, Els. And we both know how good my observational skills are. Especially when it comes to you." The blonde averted her gaze.

She decided for an extra push, and leaned down to press their foreheads together.

"You don't need to hide anymore." She said.

A thin layer of frost creeped over the edge of the desk.

"I know. I just..." Elsa said as she bit the bottom of her lip anxiously. With how much it seemed to pain the blonde to speak of it, Anna was convinced now that whatever was plaguing the blonde's mind had very much to do with her.

Elsa sighed heavily, and when Anna saw a small tear escape the edge of her sister's eye, her heart tore painfully for the older girl.

"Hey." Anna rushed forward and wrapped her arms around the blonde's neck "It's okay. You...don't need to tell me." Anna swallowed tightly. This was worse than she originally planned for.

Elsa wrapped her arms tighter around her. "I'm sorry…I can't..." She whimpered

"Shhh." Anna ran her hand through the blonde's hair soothingly, and then pulled back to hold her sister's face in between both of her hands. "Why don't you and I go get some sleep? You look absolutely exhausted. Maybe we can have some hot chocalate and read a story beforehand?" Anna offered with a sweet smile.

Elsa sniffed and wiped away her tears, nodding weakly and taking Anna's hand to be guided out of the study.

"I'd like that very much."

* * *

Anna's eyes snapped open.

Something had woken her. She tilted her head to the side to look out at the sky. It was still dark, silver shafts of moonlight were filtering in through the window. That's when she noticed that the warm body that should've been in her arms asleep, was sitting on the edge of the opposite side of the bed, hands running through her own hair trying to calm what was a rather heavy rate of breathing.

She was crying too, though as silently as she could muster, and Anna immediately recognized what it was that she had been awoken by. Elsa had just had a nightmare.

Her immediate reaction was to crawl over and embrace the blonde from behind, whispering never ending promises of assurance to rid the residual fear of whatever the older girl had dreamt of. But something held her back, curious to see how Elsa would react next.

Anna shut her eyes as she felt her sister slide back into the bed next to her, pressing herself into the younger girl's side, placing her head on top of the left side of Anna's chest. She recognized the familiar motion.

_Is she...listening to my heartbeat?_

Elsa withdrew, and let out a shuddering breath.

"Get it together, Elsa. She's fine…" She whispered to herself.

The blonde left the bed, and then made her way to the balcony of the room, stepping outside into the cold winter air where the icy fjord laid below. Anna sat up in the bed, and stared at the older girl's back through the open door.

It felt like ages as Elsa stood there, regal, looking over the waters of the night with a watchful eye, and Anna wondered if Elsa really planned to stay out there for the remainder of the night. But then she saw the blonde's shoulders shudder and her body begin to wrack with silent sobs.

Anna was moving before she could stop herself.

She came up behind Elsa and wrapped her arms around her waist. Elsa gasped audibly through her tears, but quickly came to terms with what was the redhead offering her comfort, and turned around to bury herself in her sister's arms.

"A-Anna I..I…" Her voice was shaky and she was out of breath.

Anna pulled Elsa to her chest and began to stroke her hair. "Shhh, I'm here."

Elsa held tight to her younger sister and sobbed against her shoulder.

"It's okay. Whatever it is, it's okay."

"Anna..." She started before again succumbing to another wave of tears.

"I'm here, Elsa. And I'm not leaving." She assured the older girl.

Nearly half an hour passed of them standing there, awash in the moonlight, holding each other desperately, Anna allowing her sister to calm down from her cries.

The night wind blew comfortingly against their bodies and Elsa finally spoke to break the silence.

"I'm sorry I woke you."

"That's alright." Anna finally picked up the courage to ask, "Elsa….what…what was your dream about?" She could feel the older girl tense up. She didn't reply. "If you don't want to talk about it-"

Elsa shook her head forcefully, evidently having enough of keeping her feelings to herself. "No... I'm sorry...for hiding it…I've...been having the same dream every night ever since we came back..." Anna's eyes went wide at the revelation. She remained silent, so Elsa continued. "It was the same as three days ago. We were heading for Northuldra again...or I was. Everything seemed so similar. I was trying to get there as soon as I could, but...I was too late." She paused, taking another shuddering breath. "But rather than the Northuldran dying...it was you...he killed you...I couldn't save you. Everything seemed so real...the blood...the lifelessness in your eyes, and-" her voice caught and she stopped, trying to keep herself from going into another fit of tears. It was times like these, when she would rather hide. The younger girl was more than aware of her tendencies to become insecure, but still she didn't want her sister to see this feeble side to her.

Anna tightened her arms around her sister. So that's why Elsa had listened for her heartbeat earlier, she realized. Even in her dreams the older girl was always worried about her. Past the regal composure, Elsa was really one of the most selfless people in the world.

"I love you." Anna said against Elsa's ear. It was the only thing she could think to say that would ever equate what she felt towards her sister, and even that didn't seem to be enough.

Elsa shivered as the words tickled her ear, sending a little shock down her body. "I can't lose you." She whispered just loud enough for Anna to hear, and she looked up from her curled position in Anna's chest to gaze deep into teal eyes.

"So many things scare me, Anna." She said while gripping the younger girl's waist. "Mama and Papa. All the innocent Northuldran lives. Sometime I feel like I can see their ghosts watching over me...judging me."

She tightened her grip again. "Yet as terrifying as that seems, it pales in comparison to what I truly fear…" She then released her hold to cup the redhead's cheeks. "Nothing scares me more…than failing you."

Anna reached up to grasp the older girl's hands and brought them in front of her firmly.

"You won't."

Elsa broke her eyes away.

"How do you know?" She whispered harshly.

"Because you're stronger, Elsa." The blonde looked back up with a heartbroken expression.

"I couldn't even capture him…"

Anna pressed a hand to Elsa's chest, searching her eyes. "But you will. And more than anything, I know you won't let him hurt me. I trust you to, even if you don't trust yourself." She suddenly felt herself filled with determination for the other girl. It was so obvious now, why Elsa was upset. She was so stupid. For not seeing it earlier. For not being able to comfort the blonde in the right way from the start.

Elsa was scared for _her._

"I know you'll win Elsa, and you wanna know why?" Anna pushed her hand harder against her sister's chest. "Because I've known you ever since you were a little girl. A little girl with a brilliant mind and an unimaginable power, who could've used it for anything. Yet even with all that power, even with the most breathtaking magic in the world, all she ever cared about...was making her sister happy." She smiled warmly. "No matter how much it pained her to lock herself in her room, to give up her freedom...she did it...to protect _me_." She whispered. " _That's_ what makes you strong, Elsa. Because you _choose_ to do the right thing. Always. No matter how hard it is. And I refuse to believe that someone as vile as Hans would ever be able to compare to your strength."

Elsa felt her breath catch as her icy exterior melted under the simple heartfeltness of what was Anna's faith in her.

"I can only do it with you, Anna... _You_...You're what gives me strength." Elsa's voice cracked with emotion as she felt tears threatening to fall again.

Anna pressed forward and rested her forehead against the blonde's.

"And you'll have me. Always." She affirmed.

Elsa hiccuped, tears streaking down pale cheeks in cascades, and Anna was instantly moving to wipe the tears away. It didn't matter how many times Elsa doubted herself. This was her purpose. To lift her. To love her. And she would repeat it as many times as Elsa needed. God knows how hard she was trying to do it herself.

"The weight of the world isn't meant to be held by one person, Els."

She kissed Elsa's cheek.

"Let me help you."

She moved lower to the edge of Elsa's lips.

"Let me help you feel good, sis."

Her lips were now hovering directly above the blonde's, waiting for the other girl's permission.

Anna didn't need to ask twice.

In seconds, Elsa grabbed her younger sister by the back of the neck and pressed their lips together passionately. The frost that had accumulated around the room began to float up and flicker away as the older girl let the last remaining dread of her doubt dissipate.

Now that she had let Anna in, Elsa couldn't stop herself from pressing her sister tightly against her, relishing in the feel of the younger girl's warm body, soft lips pressing against her own. It had been merely three days, but she hadn't realized how much she needed this. To just let go.

Suddenly Anna was kissing back hungrily, and Elsa stumbled towards their bed and fell back against it with Anna over her.

Elsa let out an airy moan when Anna began nipping at her lower lip. Her cognizance blurred as a warm tongue ran along her jawline, and Elsa grabbed the back of Anna's neck desperately, struggling with grounding herself in the midst of her heightened pleasure, eventually giving up and letting Anna take the lead.

Anna leaned down to quickly to pull Elsa's nightgown up and over her head, leaving her only in her underwear. The redhead stared at the exposed skin, running her hands up Elsa's bare stomach and sides.

Elsa's breath shuddered as Anna ran her hands along the length of her bare body, admiring her so intently.

"I'll never get tired of saying this, but you're beautiful, Elsa. So beautiful." She leaned down till their noses were touching. "You have no idea what you do to me." She whispered.

The older girl reddened as Anna leaned down to kiss Elsa once more.

"And I'll never get tired of saying this too. You're beautifuller." Elsa replied against her lips and Anna giggled.

"But not just on the outside, Anna. It's more than that." Elsa held the girl's face between her hands as she stared up at her from where she lay on her back. "You're heart...it's just as beautiful. The way you see the best in people, having the utmost faith in the ones you care about...I can't even begin to describe how beautiful that part of you is."

Anna's smile was dazzling as she leaned down to kiss her slowly and deeply. Elsa wrapped her arms around the younger girl's neck and returned the kisses with more and more vigor than she could muster.

Then quickly, Anna sat up to remove her nightgown, matching Elsa's state of undress. Now in only her underwear, she moved her lips to Elsa's collarbone, trailing soothing kisses across it, up her neck and across her jawline.

Elsa had lost track of all thought by now. Head tilted up and to the side, she exposed her neck to more of Anna's warm and pleasurable ministrations, letting out gasps and moans at every turn. She arched her back into Anna's form, trying to get closer to deal with growing heat at her core.

A hand grasped at her left breast, fingers gently kneading the fleshy mound in a rhythm that made Elsa want to do more than squirm. She was already so lost in the cloud of ecstasy that she didn't notice Anna repositioning herself until a knee pressed at her entrance. She cried out, rolling her hips against the incredible friction.

"Oh my god...Anna," she managed to say between shudders.

"Yes...Elsa?" She asked softly.

"I want you…"

Anna brought a hand up to caress her cheek, staring warmly into her eyes. "You have me."

Then she kissed Elsa on the neck and whispered sensually, "I love you."

Elsa whimpered tearfully, as she tried to hold back the pure adoration that threatened to overwhelm her, all the doubt and guilt in the past three days, washed away by the pure love for the woman above her.

Elsa's hands came up against Anna's face and she kissed her fiercely, trying to express all the warm emotions coursing through her in a single action. Anna responded in equal earnesty, pushing the older girl back down against the mattress.

"Elsa, I am going to make you scream in pleasure." Anna promised against Elsa's lips.

The queen's breath caught. Anna's words were so lewd. And it turned her on even more.

Anna quickly pulled her sister's underwear away, and Elsa gasped as her now bare, sensitive skin of her most intimate of places was on display for the younger girl.

Before she could even think, Anna was kissing her way down Elsa's throat and there was nothing in the world but Anna's warm mouth on her skin.

"A-aahh! Anna!" She cried out. Her hands gripped at the sheets below and twisted it, as Anna's lips came around her nipple and sucked on the hardened nub.

Spurred by the needy moans coming out of her sister, Anna bit down lightly on Elsa's nipple, drawing a sharp cry from the girl, Elsa's legs wrapping tightly around her waist. Slipping a hand underneath her sister, Anna pulled her closer and shifted to give her other breast the same treatment.

Elsa was practically writhing against the sheets and Anna had barely begun. God the sounds her older sister made were utterly adorable and absolutely erotic, and so very different from what everyone else knew of her. It gave her confidence to continue, knowing that the woman was hers, and hers alone.

She slid her hand down the length of Elsa's body, mouth still on her breast, backing her knee away to make room for her hand to move to the spot between the blonde's thighs, fingers softly gliding over the wetness she found.

Elsa's breath hitched, and she let out a tiny mewling sound. Anna pressed a little harder, eliciting a moan from the blonde, and when she found the sensitive nub between the older girl's folds, she circled it once, twice, before pulling her finger away and simply tracing light patterns over the center. Elsa's hips bucked, and she whined.

The blonde parted her legs desperately, voice laced with desire. "Please, Anna..."

Anna had it then, and slipped a finger inside the older girl, a groan erupting deep in Elsa's chest, until her lips parted and it escaped her mouth, the blonde panting with the lack of air and the pleasure she felt from her sister's actions.

Elsa's arms flew up to wrap around Anna as the younger woman pushed her finger farther inside of her, her own fingers digging against Anna's skin as she made pleasurable little sounds.

"Anna…" she whimpered.

Anna kissed Elsa anywhere she could reach, she rubbed her thumb against Elsa's clit and at the same time pushed in a second digit, stretching the blonde's tight walls.

Biting on her lip, Elsa's hips bucked against Anna's movements, "Anna..." the girl moaned breathlessly, "Oh God, Anna!" She kissed Anna roughly then and in response, Anna drove her two fingers deep within the older girl, causing her to moan loudly against the younger queen's lips, Elsa began thrusting her hips as the redhead rhythmically rubbed the girl's inner walls, twisting and pumping her digits.

A maddening pressure was beginning to build in Elsa's lower stomach and she rocked her hips faster, "H..harder!" she whimpered out, holding onto Anna for dear life.

Wrapping her other arm around Elsa, Anna gladly did as she asked, quickening her pace and simultaneously rubbing the sensitive nub right above, each time pressing her hand harder into the queen, receiving high pitched cries from her older sister.

Soon Elsa was rolling her hips back and forth with abandon, her arms desperately wrapping around Anna's neck. Knowing how close the older girl was to her climax, the younger girl pressed her thumb hard against Elsa's clit, rubbing firmly against the bundle of nerves.

The older girl's walls tensed up and gripped tightly around Anna's fingers as she came undone, quickly falling over the edge and descending into orgasmic pleasure. Anna broke away from Elsa's lips to lean back and gaze upon Elsa's flushed face, lips parted in ecstasy and eyes screwed tight as a loud moan erupted from her throat bearing her name.

Minutes passed, as Elsa's erratic thrusts eventually slowed in pace until she was still, panting heavily.

Anna closed the distance between them, slipping her cum covered fingers from between Elsa's legs and gathering the older girl into her arms and holding her tightly. She felt tears against her cheek and the queen's breath on her neck as the older girl spoke, voice raw from all the emotions that had passed within the hour.

"Anna…"

"Yes, Elsa?" She asked softly.

The blonde leaned in close to cup her face.

"I love you."

Anna stilled at the words.

The redhead was always a firm believer of actions speaking louder than words. She had never doubted once that Elsa loved her. And from the first night of their consummation, her faith in the blonde's new devotion to her had never wavered. Not in the slightest.

Nonetheless, firsts were always notable. The first step you take. The first word that leaves your mouth as a child.

Significant or insignificant. It didn't matter.

This was the first time Elsa had said it to her since returning home, and she would forever remember this moment.

Anna rushed forward, nuzzling herself into Elsa's neck.

"I love you too, Elsa."

They lay there snuggled up together, the pair's souls mending in tandem, the night shining even brighter under the cascading glow of moonlight, showing the first signs of a blossom's budding.

_Stronger together._

The thought passed through Elsa's mind in that very moment, just as it had many times before.

Only this time, she truly believed it.

* * *

The prisoner awoke sprawled on cold stone, alone in the dark where all was quiet except for the howling of the wind like a thousand lost and lonely wolves. Faint slivers of orange light peeked between heavy iron bars and around the splintered edges of a heavy wooden door. The cell was dank and wet and smelled of cold mildew, as it always had.

But as the tendrils of sleep cleared and his senses returned, it was clear that something was different.

He wasn't alone.

His muscles of age ached painfully as he jumped away startled.

A form of a shadow hung loosely in the darkest corner of the cell. Eyes peering through the mass of black.

"Who are you?!" The prisoner demanded.

Even in the dark, he could make out at what was a smile of the shadow as it spoke.

"I was going to say an old friend, but that would be a stretch."

The voice was that of a male.

"So how about…"

A pause.

"Former colleague."

The form of a man stepped forward from the dark corner, and the prisoner's eyes went wide at the revealed identity of the familiar figure.

Hans grinned devilishly.

"Hello, Duke."


	11. Preparation

"My speculation tells me that it could be stemming from somewhere near Weselton."

"Weselton, you say?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. Numerous reports of riots coming from the east." Erik affirmed. "But it's quite possible that it has nothing to do with Hans. The kingdom has shown marks of rebellion and disorder for the past three years ever since the corruption has been dug up from the fiasco with the Duke."

Anna hummed in thought. "That may be true, but still...if there's any kingdom that he would try to influence..."

The council nodded in agreement.

"It might be fair to say that we cannot handle this situation with normal protocol. Magic is unpredictable, as is Hans." Anna said darkly. "Until we can gather our allies together to officialize a contingency plan, there's not much that we can do but proceed with our scouting. Halvor, have we received any answers regarding the letters Elsa sent out?"

"The invitation for a collective meeting with the six other regional kingdoms, Your Majesty? Corona, Hedmark, Vestmar, and Findara have agreed to convene within a week's time. The King of Romsdal has declined in favor of attending the crown prince's upcoming wedding. As for the Kingdom of Sogn, we have not yet received an answer." The tallest advisor reported.

Anna perked an eyebrow. "Really? Strange. King Vidar is usually on time with his letters…"

"Indeed."

Anna sighed, mulling over the new information briefly before coming to a quick decision.

"For now, we will have to make do with the four." She turned her attention back to Erik. "Scout out the state of Weselton as much as you can and let me know of any more suspicious behavior. In detail."

The man nodded politely. "Yes, Your Majesty."

"I'll update Elsa on today's meeting, and inform you of any changes that she may deem fit."

She stood from her seat, prepared to dismiss the advisors, when one of them, Eira, spoke up.

"If I may ask, Your Majesty. Is Queen Elsa alright?" The female advisor asked with concern. "She usually doesn't miss these types of meetings." The other board members looked towards Anna, apparently having similar worries for the other queen.

Anna blinked, unfazed by the question.

"Ah, yes. She uh...overslept."

Surprise filled their faces in unison, "Overslept?"

Anna rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "I might have purposely told Gerda not to wake her up this morning, so that she would miss this meeting."

The six advisors stared at her, all with wide eyes.

"Oh don't look at me like that!" Anna said defensively with a pout. "Of course I didn't do it in spite. The woman is workaholic. Do you have any idea how little she sleeps everyday? She deserves to miss a meeting once in a while."

They all chuckled and shook their heads endearingly, but it was Gerard who laughed loudly at the redhead's explanation.

"Of course, Your Majesty. I'm sure Queen Elsa appreciates your efforts very much. Your love for each other is quite heartwarming." The rest of the group smiled, sharing the sentiments of the eldest council member. Anna bowed before dismissing the advisors to conclude the meeting.

"Our love for each other, huh?" The queen thought to herself as she paced down the hall.

If only they knew just how far her love for Elsa went, the wonderfully intimate moment they had shared together a few nights back, still resting pleasantly at the forefront of her mind. Her older sister seemed to be in much better spirits as of late.

Speaking of the blonde, it was about time for her to wake her up.

* * *

Streams of morning light filtered through the panes of glass to herald Anna's arrival. Elsa was still asleep when she had returned to their chambers, and the redhead couldn't stop the dopey smile from forming as she stared down at the blonde's resting face. It was rare for her to be awake when Elsa wasn't. The older girl was almost always up and about working far before she had even left the bed. But with a little tampering with the servants orders, the queen now had no choice but to allow her body to rest.

Anna giggled when Elsa began mumbling in her sleep, something along the lines of building snowmen and eating chocolate. Her heart further melted when the blonde unconsciously reached for her hand, and cuddled it to her chest.

"Anna…" Elsa breathed.

The redhead's mind squealed at how adorable the sight was.

She knew that she should probably stop though, knowing how carried away she could get with these types of things. The desire to just cuddle up into Elsa and forget about the rest of the day was definitely a consideration. She poked the older girl's cheek, and Elsa groaned, the tendrils of sleep fluttering away at the redhead's startling touch.

Elsa buried her face into the pillows. "Watimeisit..." She mumbled into the cushions.

"Time for you to wake up, sleepyhead." Anna said while ruffling the back of the blonde's head.

Elsa sat up groggily, and stared at her sister blankly. Her eyes then turned to the clock sitting in the corner of the room.

The mechanical hands ticked soundlessly, anticipating the arrival of a dramatic grasp on reality. It was about an entire ten seconds until the queen's brain finally processed the time.

Elsa sprung up from her resting position. "Did I already miss the meeting?!" She asked in panic.

Anna's lips curled up in amusement. "Well, it is nearly ten o'clock, so yeah. I guess you did."

"How did I oversleep?" The blonde ran her hands through her hair in frustration. "Gerda was supposed to wake me up!"

"That's true, she waaaas supposed to wake you up."

"For that matter, if you were awake, why didn't _you_ wake me up! You were sleeping right next to me!" Elsa glared at her accusedly.

Anna struggled to keep a straight face. "I probably should've done that, shouldn't I have?"

Elsa grumbled at the redhead's teasing, not taking light of the situation. The younger girl tried her best to to maintain the ruse, but at the sight of the older girl pouting, she couldn't hold it in anymore. Anna bursted out laughing.

"Anna." Elsa scolded.

Anna continued laughing, clutching her sides in a failed attempt to calm the convulsions in her chest.

"Anna!"

"Okay! Okay! I'm sorry." She said while wiping away her tears of mirth, finally getting herself to appease her laughing to a mild level of chuckling. "But that was just too funny."

Elsa crossed her arms together. "What's so funny about me missing an important meeting, _Your Majesty_?" The older girl looked at her admonishingly, emphasizing the younger girl's title. Queens should be far past the level of maturity to still be enjoying pranks.

Anna rubbed Elsa's arm placatingly. "Relax, Elsa. Don't worry about the meeting. I went for you." She said, still giggling softly from the moment before.

"Why would you do that?" She asked, her dismay transforming into that of genuine surprise for the younger girl's actions.

"Why else? To let you sleep, silly."

_Oh._

Elsa blushed.

"You...told Gerda to not wake me...so I could sleep in?"

"Mhm. What'ya gonna do about it?" Anna teased.

Her level of energy may have well spoken for itself. She felt well rested, the first time in years. She had thought that the cause of her missed attendance had been due to Anna's mischievous side resurfacing, but in reality the younger girl had simply been looking out for her health.

Elsa smirked and reached for the redhead's arms.

"This." She answered, while yanking Anna off her feet into the bed with a light shriek.

The blonde then hovered over her sister, the predatory look on her face making Anna swallow thickly. "Wait. Elsa. Please."

Her pleas were ignored, and Elsa lunged forward and captured Anna's lips passionately. The younger girl moaned immediately at the contact, and leaned in further to deepen the kiss.

A full minute later, Elsa broke away, and was satisfied to see the dazed look on the redhead's face.

"The next time you try something like that again, it'll be more than just a kiss." Elsa warned.

"Oh how frightening." Anna smiled adoringly. "I'll be _sure_ to behave myself then."

The blonde laughed, and gathered the younger girl into her arms in a hug.

"You stinker." She said, and Anna giggled, snuggling into her chest.

"But I'm _your_ stinker." Elsa kissed the top of her head in response.

"That, you are."

They remained that way until Anna untangled herself from the embrace, and Elsa took the opportunity to continue the conversation.

"How was the meeting?" She asked.

The redhead changed to a sitting position on the bed.

"Not too many changes." Anna started, retelling the update she had received at the meeting. "Regarding the letters, Romsdal was the only one to decline. Sogn hasn't responded to our invitation yet."

Elsa's eyes lit up in surprise. "Really? Strange. King Vidar is usually on time with his letters."

"I said the exact same thing, you know." Anna said with a smirk.

She smiled. "Well, great minds think alike as they say." Anna's chest pumped up in pride as she nodded in agreement. "Anything else?"

"Just one. Regarding Hans."

At the mention of the man's name, the expression on the blonde's face turned serious.

"Erik reported some behavior near Weselton. Riots."

"Weselton?" The name gave Elsa pause. "Did they sight him there?"

Anna shook her head. "Not enough details. I've told Erik to expand his searches for now. I think it's most likely just a coincidence, but it's still a possibility."

The information bounced within the walls of Elsa's mind, the older girl trying to determine a concrete justification for the discrepancy. "Why would he go to Weselton?" She mused.

"I'm...not sure." Anna admitted.

The room fell silent. The limited amount of information was proving to be troublesome. It wasn't until recently that they discovered that the Southern Isles had become shut out from the rest of the world. A fog of darkness was currently surrounding the waters near the island, making ships impossible to approach safely. That left only their option to scout for Hans himself, but clearly his movements were elusive.

Frankly speaking, they knew too little regarding his magic.

_Magic._

_Information._

An idea popped in Elsa's mind.

"Are you free this afternoon, Anna?"

The redhead blinked in surprise at the sudden request. "I have a brief meeting with Eira at noon, but I have nothing else scheduled after." Elsa nodded.

"Good, there's somewhere that I want to visit."

* * *

The Valley of the Living Rock was not a common location for tourism, nor was it a location that citizens were familiar with either. Elsa eyed the hissing geothermal vents expelling steam, feeling the uncomfortable warmth shifting beneath her feet. Her and Anna traversed the upwards slope with careful steps, taking in their surroundings as they went.

Up above was a rounded clearing surrounded by several raised terraces, the familiar moss-covered plateau that they both recognized. Still the same dark igneous rock spotted with green, but the dozens, even hundreds of small boulders that sat upon those terraces were a lighter shade of grey. Nothing about those rocks would have appeared to be anything special. But as they walked to the center of the clearing, hand in hand, Elsa and Anna knew better.

A loud rumble.

A dull tremor.

A heavy groan.

Every single boulder rolled off the terraces of their own accord, the sound of crashing stone ringing in their ears as they approached the two sisters. Each boulder unfurled, the uniform greyness opening to reveal arms and legs, short spikes of grass for hair and faces carved into the stone. No matter how many times they had seen it before, the transformation continued to amaze the both of them. Elsa and Anna watched with wonder as the creatures unfolded from their previous forms as rocks to stand around them, gazing up at the two of them with curiosity.

And then recognition.

"It's Elsa and Anna!" One shouted, followed by every single other troll cheering in a celebratory fashion for the arrival of the royal family, crowding around the pair in an overwhelming, but welcoming gesture.

Elsa and Anna bent down to accept the many hugs and handshakes. "Hello everyone, it's good to see you all again." Elsa said warmly.

"And it's very good to see _you, Your Majesties._ " came a voice from beyond the assemblage of trolls, and at the sound of that voice, the trolls began to part, revealing the eldest of the many trolls. The ones they referred to as Grandpabbie, or for Elsa and Anna, just Pabbie.

"Pabbie." Elsa smiled in greeting.

Anna stood. "We'll leave you two alone, now." She said while gathering the attention of the trolls surrounding her. "Come on guys, I want to catch up on all the stories that you all have for me. We haven't seen each other in so long!"

The trolls gladly followed the redhead away from the center of the clearing, but not before Anna's eyes met Elsa's briefly. The older girl smiled gratefully for the distraction. They both knew full well that the matter of discussion was not one that would be so pleasant to listen upon.

The sounds of commotion gradually reduced into echoes, and now that all remained was Elsa and Pabbie standing silently at the center of the clearing.

"It's been quite a while." Elsa said, turning to face the eldest of the trolls.

"Indeed." He nodded sagely. "Six months in the perception of humans is certainly that of meaningful time. For myself however, your journey with Anna and Kristoff to the enchanted forest seems like it happened just yesterday." He chuckled. "I recalled you had made the decision to live amongst the spirits in the forest."

He looked at her, prudent eyes peering through stone sockets in examination.

"Though it seems that things have changed...for the better."

Elsa smiled.

"For the better." She agreed. The blonde wasn't sure how much Pabbie knew regarding what had transpired recently, whether that knowledge had been spread through the words of Kristoff, or if the elder troll simply knew of all the events related to her.

"I don't suppose you know what has happened in the past week. In Northuldra." She said, her expression turning melancholic. "Though on second thought, I would be more surprised if you didn't."

Pabbie now looked at Elsa and seemed to be a different troll entirely, all traces of lightheartedness utterly gone from his demeanour. "Yes. Unfortunately so. The tremendous loss of life amongst a place with such spiritual affinity, is not something that I can ignore." He said sadly. "The spirits of the enchanted forest are lost. And with it comes a grave danger."

"Hans." Elsa finished for him.

He nodded grimly.

Elsa's gaze sharpened, and she looked to him intently. "How much do you know, Pabbie? I need to know what I can do to stop this. How to stop _him._ "

Pabbie shook his stone head, looking for the first time in Elsa's eyes; unsure.

"I can only see to that of magic within the spirits. This darkness." For a moment, Elsa thought she saw the troll shudder. "This...evil." He continued, "Is something that even I cannot comprehend."

Elsa's heart plummeted. Here she had thought that she came here with the opportunity to understand Hans's powers. But if Pabbie didn't know, then there really wasn't much that they could do.

"Though there is a tale." He said suddenly, interrupting her lamenting.

"A tale?"

Pabbie nodded. "One of long ago. One of a dark sorcery. A forbidden way of life that once ruled over the lands in treachery. Led by an incarnation," He said, "of every ounce of malice, evil and darkness that ever has been. A creature so foul and somber that its power plunged the world into an unending era of despair and violence. It gleefully burned the trees, uprooted the flowers and killed the lives of the land."

Elsa felt a familiar nausea in her gut, the kind that began to build when one had too much to drink. Her mind flooded with images. But rather than that of Pabbie's words, they were her own memories. She saw the expanse of Northuldran homes turned to ash, the people turned to lifeless husks of brutality. Worst of all, she saw his face, laughing gleefully through it all.

"This evil," Pabbie continued, "nearly conquered all that was good, aeons ago. It was beat back by a ruler. A kind ruler, one blessed by the powers of the Goddesses. She led the spirits against the blighted darkness. The battle was long and arduous, and very nearly lost, but good prevailed. The darkness was sealed and hidden away. Never to be seen again."

The silence settled over them, and in that silence, the echoes of Elsa's memories faded, leaving instead a small, shriveled inkling of truth in their place.

"The spirits...are they…"

"Sealed, but very much alive." Pabbie answered.

"Sealed?" Elsa asked, peering at the troll with a growing sense of unease.

The village elder closed his eyes. "Their presence still lies within the spiritual boundaries. It is dim, but very much there. Almost as if they are...trapped." Pabbie finished.

He then stepped forward urgently and took both of Elsa's hands in his grasp.

"Elsa. This evil, the power that Hans possesses, is rooted in the purest form of hatred. I may not know enough to provide you the guidance that you may need, but this I can tell you; only through love can this darkness be overcome." He said firmly. "It has been that way, and it will _always_ be that way." He looked down at her hands. "Your powers are a gift. Strong they are, but there is more to them than meets the eye. I am sure you are aware now, that the origin of your powers comes from the relationship of your mother and father. The spirits deemed their love worthy and bestowed upon you the blessing of the fifth spirit."

His eyes looked up to meet her own.

"But the true _secret_ of your magic, rests in the love that lies in your _own_ heart."

"My...own heart?" She asked.

Pabbie nodded.

Elsa searched the meaning of the elder's words, and a name immediately made its way to her lips. "Anna…"

Pabbie nodded again, though this time his face was accompanied with a grim expression.

"I fear...that to overcome this evil, a decision will have to be made." He said darkly. "A decision that will require a sacrifice of great turmoil."

Elsa's breath caught. The terrifying images of Anna's lifeless body from her nightmares that she had just recently been able to repress shot through her mind like lightning. She shook her head violently, pressing a hand to her beating chest in an attempt to calm her induced panic.

"No." She promised. "It won't come to that. I won't let him hurt Anna."

She steered her resolve, ridding the surfaced doubts like water to a flame, and stared resolutely at the troll elder.

"I will bring Hans to justice. No one else gets hurt. I promise."

Pabbie smiled softly, perhaps in agreement. Though no matter how Elsa tried to see it, a part of her told her that the troll was saddened by her words.

"You have done well, Elsa. At the very least...I can see that you've embraced the love in your heart."

Elsa looked to him curiously for elaboration. "How do you mean?"

"Love. A feeling created when two souls are easily drawn together in life." Pabbie started. "Once together there is something created that is so beautiful and strong that people fear, admire, and envy it. They are the world to you. They light your way through life and never give up on you when things get tough."

His voice was wistful. "Yes. I see it. I see it in both of you. You love her. You always have. But your heart now embraces the truth freely, making you stronger than ever before."

Elsa's eyes went wide. Both in shock for how easily Pabbie was able to deduce their newfound relationship, and the heartfeltness behind his words.

"You knew…?"

Pabbie smiled, and for a second it almost seemed cheeky. "One doesn't need to be a wise troll elder, to see the love that you two share for each other."

The confidence held in his voice made her blush deeply, but empowered her as well.

"I'll protect her," She managed, softly. Here, in the open clearing, it seemed that no one but Pabbie was listening, and yet it felt as if the whole world was present. "I don't know how Hans obtained these powers, but it matters little how." She knew of one single truth, one that Pabbie had already previously stated. "If love is what it takes, then I have little to fear."

As she uttered those very words, she could see the group of trolls return to the clearing at a distance, slowly bringing back the livelihood that had been there previously.

At the front of the group was Anna, who was laughing joyfully at three troll children hopping on her back playfully. The sight melted her heart, and was enough to affirm her next words.

"After all, I have all the love in the world to work with."

* * *

Pushing open the door to her own chambers from her washroom, Elsa found Anna already curled under the covers, waiting on the blonde. She quickly slipped on her nightgown, and with a wave of her hand, removed the residual moisture from her damp hair from her recent bath, leaving the blonde locks neatly flushed against her back.

Getting into the bed alongside Anna, she leaned down to kiss the girl on the temple, the redhead crawling into her arms to bury her face into the older girl's chest.

"You looked like you had a lot of fun today. You know...with all the troll children dangling off you," the older girl joked, feeling the vibration of her sister's laughter in her chest. "Are you sure you're not related to them by any chance?" She felt Anna smack her shoulder playfully, giggling. The blonde just smiled.

She felt her sister shift, and looked down to see the redhead staring up at her with a sudden worry in her eyes. "Are you sure you're okay?" Anna asked while fiddling with a strand of the blonde's hair. "You said that Pabbie didn't know much regarding Hans's powers. And you looked a bit troubled after your talk." She placed a hand over the older girl's chest.

The blonde moved a hand to tangle in her sister's locks, scratching her scalp gently. "I was...disappointed that he didn't know more, but I feel a lot better now. Especially, when I get to hold you like this."

The younger girl nodded, satisfied with the answer. The tendrils of sleep began to close around her from Elsa's fingers moving gently in her hair.

"I love you, Elsa." She said sleepily.

"I love you too, Anna." Else replied softly. She stared watchfully as the redhead slipped into a state of sleep, the slow and steady rise of her sister's chest regretfully reminding her of certain words earlier that day.

_A decision will have to be made._

_A sacrifice of great turmoil._

The blonde rested her head on top of her sister's, wrapping her arms tightly around the younger girl.

"I'll protect you, Anna. I promise."

* * *

The road up to the outskirts of the kingdom had been smooth. Along the carved path spanned vast fields of wheat shimmering timidly under the weak glow of early light. The harvest was in full swing here, as cold winds already began to come down from the North Mountain and even from the direction of the fjord, dropping the temperatures at night to near freezing. Erik had reached the agreed location early, even having time to appreciate the sunrise, gleaming over dewy fields and ripe crops.

He heard a horse approaching, and did not stir. His scouts always arrived on time. His demeanor soon turned serious however as the messenger came closer, and the urgency on his face became palpable.

"My lord, it's terrible!" The man yelled from atop his horse.

Erik rode his own horse to meet him halfway. "What is it, Frederick?"

"Sogn!" The messenger said desperately. "The Kingdom of Sogn has been attacked!"

Erik raised by an eyebrow, irked by the lack of detail from the message. "By whom?"

"Weselton. Soldiers bearing the Weselton flag. But there's more. Sightings of magic. Dark magic amidst the fighting." He explained quickly.

"Dark magic…"

Erik's eyes went wide.

_Hans._

He had to inform Elsa.


	12. Intervention

"I'm going."

It had been early when they received the news. The knocking of their chamber doors had been that of a ruckus, forcing a peaceful sleep awake with the prospect of an urgent message.

Through the haziness of their yet to be fully cleared lethargy was Erik, heavy sweat and breathlessness accompanying his bulky form.

The news was all too worthy of disrupting their early hours of rest.

" _It's Hans...he's attacked Sogn."_

And just as quickly as the words had been interpreted, was as quickly as the dread that had consumed their once peaceful state of insecurity.

Panic.

Assurance.

And then a decision.

That was the order of Elsa's thought process.

Leading to where she was now; at the gates of the castle, in front of Anna, regretfully staring into pleading eyes.

"Elsa," she said, urgently, tugging at her hand. "You don't mean..."

But Elsa's eyes were on the ground, refusing to meet her sister's gaze. "There isn't much time. If it is as Erik says, then Sogn may have already sustained many casualties." She turned to her searchingly. To Anna's surprise, her expression softened. "I…" She hesitated, and then her hand came up to cup the redhead's cheek. "I need to fix this, Anna." She straightened, and her hand fell away. "I'm going alone."

That was _not_ what Anna wanted to hear. She frowned, and she watched the blonde use her magic to conjure a familiar creature. "Alone?" She repeated, the confusion rapidly giving way to the angry denial.

Elsa turned back to her as she finished summoning the same ice dragon from a week ago. "It's for the best."

"Best for whom?" Anna asked. "Because last time I remembered, I thought we agreed that I could take care of myself just fine."

Elsa gave the girl a sad look.

Anna was right.

The redhead could take care of herself just fine.

And more importantly, they were stronger together. It was a priority that they had mutually understood through the tenuous emotions of their hurt and healing over the past month.

But even so.

" _A sacrifice of great turmoil…"_

She wouldn't take that risk.

"I'm going alone." She repeated.

Anna was afraid. It was in her green eyes, in her trembling frame. "You can't. I order you not to."

"I don't think it works like that, sis."

"I'm serious, Elsa!" She yelled. "I forbid you from going alone, and I command you to take me with you!"

Elsa sighed.

"You can't come."

"And why not?" Anna replied petulantly.

"You know why, Anna!" Elsa said with frustration not necessarily directed towards her sister, but rather for their situation. "Hans is there!"

"That's even more of a reason that we should do this together!" Anna argued. Then much more softly she spoke, "I can help you."

Elsa stared sadly at the younger girl. "I know you can...but not this. Not against him, Anna. That man...he'll hurt you."

"He can hurt you too…"

"I know." Elsa said while taking the redhead's hands into her own. "But I want you to trust me on this. I want you to trust that I can overcome this, alone. If you're there. Hans might try to use you against me. Like that boy...in Northuldra. I can't let something like that happen again."

Anna's face visibly fell.

A liability.

That's all she was.

Elsa may have not stated it out right, but the familiar thorns of weakness felt like acid to an open wound.

_**Useless.** _

"Promise me." Anna whispered.

"...What?"

"Promise that you'll come back to me…" She said even more quietly, trying to hide the hurt in her voice.

Elsa felt her heart clench at the crestfallen expression on her sister's countenance.

"Anna…"

Having not heard Elsa agree to the promise immediately, Anna whimpered and tore away from her grasp, and began running back in the direction of the castle.

But Elsa was faster, and the blonde rushed forward to wrap her arms around Anna's waist from behind to prevent the girl from running further away.

"Anna…" She whispered into her neck.

The redhead was crying now, quiet sobs consuming her frame. She couldn't bring herself to turn around and look at Elsa. Her helplessness combined with the fact that the most important person in the world to her wouldn't even promise her to come back alive, tore her heart in half.

So she continued crying, hoping that Elsa would just leave her alone.

"Anna." Elsa tried again.

The girl sniffed, the only acknowledgement that she could physically muster in that moment.

"Do you know why I hate making promises?"

The words gave the redhead pause, and was enough to cease her cries temporarily.

"I've spent my entire life making them." Elsa's voice suddenly became sullen. "Mama and Papa. Always promising to them that I would keep my powers under control. Promising them that the next time it would be different."

"And in the end, all I ever did...was let them down."

Anna whipped around, eyes still red from her previous tears, but her previous sorrow was overshadowed by the protective consolation for the blonde's self deprecating thoughts.

"That's not tr-"

Elsa silenced her with a finger to her lips.

"I'm scared Anna. I'm always scared that I'll fail." She admitted. "It's happened too many times for me to count." Her gaze fell solemnly to the ground. "I'm scared to make promises. Cause almost always, they're ones that I don't know if I can keep."

Then Elsa looked up at her, and moved her hand to tuck a stray red strand of hair behind the younger girl's ear, her eyes suddenly filling with a conviction that Anna could only describe as warm.

"And yet...when I look at you now. When I see the beautiful sister that has stood by my side since the beginning." Elsa said into the silence that followed. "When I know exactly who it is that I'm fighting for."

"My fears are nothing."

The blonde gave a tearful laugh.

"You're not a liability." Elsa said, and Anna felt her heart stop because it almost seemed that her sister had looked inside her mind. "You're so strong, Anna. How could I ever doubt you?

"It's because of _you_ that I can be this strong to go alone."

She smiled.

"And It's because of _you_ that I know without a doubt, that I can keep this promise."

Anna felt the tears beginning to fall once more, but this time it was for an entirely different reason.

"I'll come home to you, Anna."

"I promise."

The redhead pulled her into a fiery kiss, arms around her neck and body pressed tightly against her own.

She pulled back, placing her hands on Elsa's cheeks, staring so deeply into her eyes that Elsa felt her soul might be crushed under the gaze.

"You owe me at least three dates when you get back." Anna said through her tears.

Elsa laughed, responding with a loving smile.

"Deal."

Anna buried her face in the older girl's neck, inhaling deeply, feeling a powerful swell of love rising inside her.

"Be safe." She whispered, trying to take solace in the gentle nod from the blonde that followed.

* * *

Lightning broke the heavens in the distance, and Elsa found herself eminently and pragmatically grateful that her companion had the capacity to fly at such a high speed. The dragon had saved her precious time, and hopefully it would be enough to allow her to intervene before casualties became too large.

They raced northward along the Sogn River for several minutes, cutting through the middle of the stream like a rocket. From there, it was an almost straight line through the fields and country roads to the outskirts of the kingdom, but their advance was slowing down, hampered by the winds and rains of an unprecedented storm.

By the time they were within sight of the city, they were forced into a slow glide.

Through the pouring rain, her heart in her throat, she searched.

The city gates had broken open, and the sight that awaited made Elsa sick to her stomach.

Sogn was large. Larger than that of Arendelle, and more populated than that of Arendelle. Being a portless kingdom, the city relied heavily on trade through land, and horses were a necessity. And right then, a stampede of horses ― some ablaze and others merely terrified ― began to pour out of the flaming city. They were of royal stock; many were white, all of the same bloodline as the one's held in the Arendelle castle stables. Many others had colouring ― knight's stallions, gentle brood mares, hardworking pack horses. She saw a few donkeys, and several foals.

Many that were already ablaze died in that field, and the smell of cooked meat reached Elsa through the wind. But the smell was weak, heavily undermined compared to the stench of the human corpses scattered around the area.

She forced the knot in her throat down, and pushed onward into the city.

They made it to the walls of the castle town in the early hours of noon, though there was no sun to confirm it. The storm had spread beyond the horizon now, casting deep shadows that made the kingdom seem hellish and somber.

From above the ground she could see that the roads around the city were packed with people, carts and animals attempting to escape the fires around them. The number of survivors gave her relief, but it seemed everywhere Elsa looked, all she could see were panicked faces. The crowd would cry out with every crack of thunder, cower and weep with every bolt of lightning.

Number of guards within the town, to their immense credit, were vying for order. They were loudly shouting commands to help the evacuation, pushing carts if they got stuck in the mud, gesturing to one another if they needed help.

But there were no Weselton soldiers in sight…

Why were they running?

She descended to the ground, and her dragon landed in the area next to the Sogn guards with a resounding thump.

The startling sight of the mythical creature incited fear into the men, and they drew their weapons towards her defensively.

"Halt!"

"At ease gentlemen," She raised her hand before dismounting peacefully. "I am Queen Elsa from the Kingdom of Arendelle."

"Arendelle…" One of the guards repeated, before his eyes lit up in recognition. "The Queen of the fjord! You've come to help us?"

"Indeed. What is the situation here?"

"Your Majesty, it's terrible! The Weselton soldiers have broken through the castle gates and have taken control of the citadel. The royal family is still in there!"

"Nearly half of our men have been slaughtered already…" Another guard added.

"How long since they seized the castle?" She asked.

"Two hours." The same guard answered. "We stood no chance...they're led by a sorcerer. One with terrifying dark magic…"

_Hans._

With a whip of her arm, Elsa shot out a giant blast of ice towards an empty road, the cold magic racing down the surface and consuming the flames along its path till a mile long, tempered trail reached all the way to the perimeter of the city.

She turned back towards the men, mouths agape at the unbelievable trail of ice.

"Take your people and head for the river. It isn't safe here."

She jumped gracefully onto her mount, and ushered the dragon upward.

"I'll retake the castle."

* * *

They pushed northward across the bridge to the castle gate, finding the entrance filled with military staff, both dead and alive.

Though it was clear that the ones alive were not adorned with the colors of Sogn.

The drawbridge was down.

The only thing standing in the way between her and the entrance were thirty Weselton soldiers.

They landed at the edge of the drawbridge and she dismounted.

Frost spread from the bottom of her feet to cover the drawbridge, freezing over the platform instantly and preventing the bridge from closing.

All the attention of the Weselton soldiers then turned to her.

"Seize her!"

At the command, crossbowmen fired from above the castle walls and soldiers charged at her with their weapons drawn, but she remained standing calmly. With a quick thrust of her arm, a great wave of ice spiked up out of the ground and neatly caught every single arrow, resisting the impact of the projectiles without leaving a scratch. As soon as the barrage ended, the wall fell.

With the calmness of a tempest, Elsa rushed forward to meet the charging soldiers head on. The first one swung. She ducked, spun, and gently placed a hand on the soldier's back. In an instant, the man was consumed in a block of ice.

The next four approached her, and quickly she extended her hand. Four shards shot out with perfect precision and disarmed the swords of the four Weselton guards. With no hesitation, she attacked again, releasing a bolt of magic that encased the four in a wall of ice much larger than the first.

She heard yelling, and behind the four immobilized guards she saw another hoard of Weselton soldiers charging from the other end of the drawbridge.

The positioning was too perfect.

With a heave, she launched the wall forward. It glided across the bridge effortlessly, and every soldier in its path was knocked off the platform into the pit below or crushed against the entrance gates on the other side.

"Fire! Shoot her!"

The cry rose from above the walls again. The soldiers had reloaded their crossbows, and were prepared to launch another volley of arrows, but an icy beast landed on the edge of the wall, and roared viciously, stopping the men in the midst of their aim. The soldiers didn't have time to recover, and the dragon shot a beam of ice from its gaping maw, freezing the entire top of the castle gates in a makeshift glacier.

Elsa sprinted across the remainder of the drawbridge and blasted the front gates open with an explosion of ice.

* * *

The doors to the foyer had been blown open from the outside, and they hung, defeated, on broken hinges. The doors, in their prime, had been constructs of metal and wood, built tall and thick to withstand the attack of a siege. Opening and closing them required the combined efforts of half a dozen men.

They lay now in broken state, the stone and metalwork that had held them upright for what must have been decades were now splintered, fractured, so that the entrance to the foyer gaped open like a mangled maw.

She immediately knew that this was the work of no normal person.

Further within, it was silent, and Elsa carefully treaded through the halls of the castle, wishing desperately that her mind would ignore the bodies of Sogn servants and guards littered across the floor.

But it was impossible. The stench of blood compounded onto her senses in a wave of miasma. She was transfixed by fascinated horror, the sheer brutality of it mind-boggling. All around her were cut skin and snapped bones, leading to rows and rows of lifeless eyes.

The sight resonating similarly to a previous memory of carnage.

_Hans...you monster._

Urgent to locate the man, Elsa upped her pace towards the throne room. She had visited this castle on a diplomatic trip a year back. If her memory served her right, she wasn't too far.

Sprinting through three more corridors, she reached the staircase leading up to the upper floor where the great hall was located.

There was blood all over the tiles, accompanied by a body of a royal guard slumped against the wall to the right, his eyes staring blindly into the void. The back of his head had been crushed against the stone, no doubt ending his life immediately.

The blood along the staircase was fresh.

She made her way up the stairs, and the echoes of fighting resounded loudly now. The sharp certainty of getting closer to evil was now undeniable.

A tiny part of her wanted to run, to turn around and return to Arendelle and cower beneath the comforting arms of her sister. It was heavily eclipsed, however, by the vindictive righteousness to redeem the deaths of those that had fallen.

The clanging of swords rang out more, and with it the grunts of effort of two fighters. She reached the end of the staircase and entered the already broken doors of the great hall, and saw the two fighters on the stairs leading up the throne.

King Vidar's ceremonial sword had lost several jewels, but was no less radiant. It caught the light of the room at a sharp angle and then it swung into the less impressive dark sword of his assailant's.

The enemy was adorned in a dark robe, face concealed underneath a hood, making it nearly impossible to discern the identity of said perpetrator.

The face behind the unpeering void of darkness, Elsa was sure she knew who it was.

In any other setting, the sight of a massive, imposing King Vidar struggling against the wailing strikes of a man smaller and shorter would have been risible. But the hooded figure was inhumane. The man was animated by some sort of otherworldly strength and aura. He was hacking and slashing at the king's weakening defence, unfaltering.

Hiding behind the throne, Elsa made out the appearance of two others; Vidar's wife—Queen Camilla, and their daughter—Princess Isla. Judging by the many cuts on King Vidar's clothes and the blood covering his face, he'd been protecting the two for a while. Much longer than duels of the sort tended to last. It was obvious King Vidar had only survived this long because he was strong and skilled in swordsmanship.

And very likely from the fact that the hooded man was toying with him.

In his attempt to avoid a flurry of stabs, King Vidar lost his footing along the steps of the dais. The hooded man raised his sword with both hands, prepared to deal the killing strike, but not before Elsa thrust her hand out to conjure a wall of ice in front of King Vidar's prone form to deflect the blow. With her other hand, she shot out a bolt of ice at the hooded figure. It arced at a deadly speed, narrowly missing its target, as the assailant flipped ten feet away from his original position.

Startled, the hooded figure finally seemed to notice Elsa and her interference. But instead of being intimidated by the appearance of suddenly facing two fighters, the hooded figure laughed deeply.

"You." He said hungrily as Elsa stepped in front of King Vidar to protect the monarch and his family. "I was wondering when you'd show up."

The voice was unmistakable.

"No one else dies, Hans." She growled, "Surrender yourself. Now."

The hooded figure cackled. "As I already told this pathetic king, you'll have to do more than beg to stop me, my dear Elsa. Does it _pain_ you to know that so many lives of this kingdom were lost at my hand?"

"Yes." She admitted. "It does." Even though she spoke calmly, restrained anger bled through her words all the same. It was a dangerous calm, the calm of someone on the verge, one who understood how vile a man could be. It was the calm of someone who was ready to put a stop to the ruin.

"Queen Elsa…" A voice behind her rasped out weakly. "Thank the gods you're here." King Vidar looked up gratefully towards her.

"Go, Vidar," Elsa said, "Take your family, and head for the outskirts." At her order, the King snapped out of his fatigue, gathered his wife and daughter and quickly headed to the doors of the hall.

" **No one leaves!** "

As soon as the hooded figure uttered his hateful scream, shadows erupted from the ground and blocked off the exit—King Vidar jerked away with a shout, a whisper away from burning himself on the flame-like wall. Elsa was prepared to disperse the flames, or she _would_ have if not for the hooded figure suddenly launching a frenzied barrage of blasts all throughout the throne room, hurling shadow and flame without any sense of aim. Elsa dashed to King Vidar and put up an ice barrier to cover both herself and the royal family. The chamber floor quaked and the walls shuddered, and all Elsa could manage was continue repairing the icy barrier. It was infuriating. She needed to attack, but it was impossible to do both that and protect the royal family.

Elsa looked down, and saw the terrified eyes of Isla, the teal of the girl's pupils reminding her of a certain redhead.

She snapped.

A shard formed through the front her own barrier crafted without resistance as Elsa whipped her hand around, and the long spear of ice arced through the air hurdling directly at its target. The aim was true, and it pierced the hooded figure's leg. The injury wasn't fatal, but it was enough for him to scream in pain and cease his barrage immediately. Taking advantage of the opening, Elsa removed her barrier and released a blast of frost towards the entrance, quickly quelling the flames, and allowing the royal family to escape.

"Go!"

As soon as the three were out of the door she turned quickly and shot forward towards the hooded figure. She lashed out just as the sorcerer raised his arm. Ice slammed into a wall of shadows, but within a second the defense froze over, shattering it, and her ice continued its pursuit.

_He's weaker than last time._

Elsa directed her attack to give chase while the hooded figure fled, solid form half dissolved into shadow and weaving away like a serpent. Motions erratic, gliding low to the ground and then spiking upwards towards the ceiling, twisting away to avoid the grasps of her ice; the hooded figure appeared extremely evasive. But Elsa knew otherwise. Every attempt the hooded figure made to dodge, she came that much closer to hitting him. It was impossible for him to avoid her forever with that injury.

Likely he realized that too. With a sudden corkscrew the hooded figure bounded towards her, dark wisps exploding from his point of take off.

Elsa smirked.

With the wave of her off arm, a hidden placement of ice from five feet in front of her shot from below just as the hooded figure could reach her, encasing him completely. Not letting the opportunity go to waste, Elsa launched a spear of ice at his trapped form. This time aiming for the hooded figure's heart.

For a moment, the man seemed to accept his fate. Only the faintest ripple of aura hinted that anything was amiss, but quickly the faint ripple few stronger, and stronger, until it was released as a shockwave of energy that flung them apart, and even Elsa was powerless to resist when she was thrown aside to the ground.

Black spots crept into her vision. Vague, disorderly thoughts overtook her own. It was the sound of the enemy coughing that snapped Elsa back to attention, and she saw that the hooded figure had conjured a dark portal, and began walking through it in an attempt to flee. She focused all her energy in her legs, and vaulted after him, using the ice around her feet to further propel her.

Elsa leapt through the hole just as it was about to close. Wind beat at her skin as she emerged on the other side, and she quickly found herself in the courtyard of the castle, the hooded figure limping away towards the gates of the entrance.

_So he can only disappear in short distances it seems._

She pursued after him, the brief startle in the hooded figure's form showed that he hadn't expected her to make it through the portal with him. He turned and launched his shadows at her, but the moment he moved Elsa reacted. She threw two successive bolts of ice, one that collided with his attack in an explosion of cold, and the other piercing through right after towards him.

The magic flew through nothing but shadow, but even as the wispy form of the hooded figure retreated to the skies, Elsa was prepared. With a stamp of her foot ice curved from every angle of the courtyard to encase the area in a dome. For good measure, she pulled moisture from the air and froze it into thick sheets of ice plated on both sides of the snow, and then another layer, and another, forming an impregnable cage.

_No more running, Hans._

Elsa watched as the black mass soared directly overhead. With another stamp of her foot, ice curved into a ramp and rippled under her feet, pushing her towards the hooded figure's fleeing form. She leapt forward off the end. Her first spear of ice missed as the hooded figure veered away, but though Elsa began to fall back to the ground, another pillar of ice rose beneath her to propel her upwards once again. A second spear, and then a third, but on the fourth-

The spear came close to the hooded figure's waist, narrowly missing again, but she quickly extended a tendril of snow from the spear to wrap around the hooded figure's legs.

The snow consolidated into ice, and Elsa closed her hand, compressing it.

With a sickening crack, the bones snapped and the hooded figure fell from the sky, screaming in agony, and landing on the courtyard pavement with a sickening thud.

She lowered herself to the ground and stared at the unmoving body cautiously. He was lying on his back, collapsed. Part of her debated killing him before anything else, but she wanted answers, and captured alive preferably. His injuries were too severe for him to escape, but just as a precaution, Elsa constructed thick slabs of ice all round him, sealing him within airtight walls more than a foot thick, giving him no chance of slipping away.

She strode over to his defeated form.

"It's over Hans. Your evil reign ends here."

No resistance from him at all, as she had expected. After having his legs crushed and frostbite spread throughout his body, not even he could escape.

Elsa bent down and ripped the hood over his head completely, revealing him.

Only…

It wasn't Hans.

Shock.

Confusion.

Anger.

She seized the man by the throat, for the first time today losing control over her composure.

"Where is Hans?!"

The Duke of Weselton smiled calmly up at her.

"Whatever do you mean? Do you not recognize me, Your Majesty?" The Duke asked. Elsa searched his face, looking for any sign of falsehood, but his black eyes held only starting clarity.

She hadn't heard incorrectly. It was Hans's voice, but in the body of the Duke's.

"Where are you hiding, you bastard?" Elsa demanded through her gritted teeth. "I'm tired of playing your sick games!"

The calmness melted off of the man's face, and a dark, pleased amusement took its place. "My dear, Elsa. I'd figure with your intellect that you would be able to understand the situation you're in by now."

She was speechless, clinging on to her sanity by a near thread.

"Corrupted—" The Duke continued, the guttural voice sounding unnatural. "So intent on revenge. So _weak._ Rotting in a jail cell for years. Taking over his mind could not have possibly been easier. Like a puppet on strings. Though looking at it now, I suppose I could have given him more of my magic. Didn't put up much of a fight against you, sadly."

Comprehension dawned on Elsa, and the blonde felt herself sweat. The reason he had been weaker. All the control she felt from their fight. It made sense now. She noticed then that the man's body had shrunk, growing shorter, and the form of it turning frail. He indeed looked exactly like the shriveled man she had remembered from three years ago.

"As I said before...you can't stop me, Elsa." The Duke said, lightly, the smile deepening in a way that made Elsa's blood run cold. "Even now, you look upon me with confusion. I suppose I should thank you, for behaving exactly the way I anticipated."

The temperature around them dropped below freezing. Frigid winds whipped around in a withering assault of snow and ice as Elsa lost the tenuous grip of her powers.

"Where are you hiding?!" She demanded again, though at this point, the words were laced with desperation.

The grin on the Duke's face only widened.

"Come now my dear." He said, amused. "I would suppose that it'd be obvious by now. You did after all just come from there."

_No._

"I'm sure Anna will be thrilled to see me." The Duke winked. "For her sake, I hope you don't take too long getting back. Who knows what I'll do to her?"

"YOU BASTARD!" Elsa screamed. "I'LL KILL YOU IF YOU TOUCH HER!"

But the Duke was no longer responding. The light left his eyes, and with it, Hans's control of his mind. The Duke slipped into unconsciousness.

Elsa's breathing grew shallow. She backed away from the Duke, mind reeling. A seizure of panic overtook her. The space around her grew dark. Heart pounding, she dashed out of the entrance gates and across the drawbridge where her ice dragon was waiting. Sensing his mistress's urgency, the beast took to the skies, large blue wings flapping mightily, lifting them off the ground and above the castle walls.

Rain fell from above and, to the south in the direction of Arendelle, darker and even heavier clouds gathered and unfolded over the lands below, obscuring the light of the sun, and smothering the promise of day.


	13. A Silent Shadow

Six hours had passed since the news of Sogn had first arrived to a pair of Arendelle ears. Since then, an uneasy quiet had settled amongst the castle, no voice brave enough to speak out until the kingdom's two royal sisters were once again reunited with each other.

Elsa's departure seemed to have brought dark clouds out of their self-imposed seclusion, and storms that had once been seldom observed at this time of the year were beginning to be exhibited. It felt like the land was prepared to go into hiding alongside its people.

From the balcony of her chambers, Anna observed the city with apprehension. Her kingdom.

Her and Elsa's.

She refused to see it any other way, but the absence of the older girl placed her in a familiar position that she was all too willing to forget.

The scarf of her mother wrapped comfortingly around Anna's shoulders. From the moment Elsa had left, she had remained at the top of the balcony, worrying, while also carefully maintaining a watchful gaze towards the horizon. From her angle, she would immediately be able to see when her sister would return.

A strange feeling sat deep in her gut, like indigestion.

Unwarranted memories began resurfacing. The niggling thoughts followed her from moment to moment, lurking in the back of her mind, unsettling and unresting. But her pondering eventually forced her to confront the issue. It was the first time Elsa had been away from her since coming back, and the first time she was truly able to reflect on the period that she had spent ruling alone in Elsa's stead.

Ever since she was born, she had been a princess.

As a child and even in her younger adult years, the girl had a tendency to avoid her studies. A tendency to forget formalities. And in general, a tendency to not behave as a royal should.

She had never expected to be queen.

And yet, in the last three years, the redhead found herself behaving more and more like a ruler. She studied. She became more formal with her speaking. She learned to be graceful. She learned to hide behind a mask of indifference. She even memorized the procedures of all the duties in a King and Queen's general day of work.

So when the day came that Elsa had decided to pass down the baton.

She had been prepared.

Prepared for the work.

Prepared for the stress.

And prepared for the change.

But not for a single moment…

Did she ever feel like she belonged.

When Elsa had left the kingdom in her hands six months ago, Anna had never felt so misplaced in her life as she had been during that time.

It was as clear as day now. From that fact alone, of how empty her heart felt currently with Elsa temporarily gone.

Anna would no longer lie to herself.

The effort she had put in to change in the past three years. It was never because of the possibility of being Queen one day.

It was because _that person_ had become part of her life once more.

The woman she admired so intently for years, even behind closed doors…

She wanted to be like her, and make her proud more than anything.

No matter what circumstance in the future. No matter what events were thrown at her next.

She would never be content ruling alone.

Her dream.

Her aspiration.

Has been, and will always be to rule alongside Elsa.

As a queen, or just as a princess. As long as Elsa was there.

When the older girl returned, she would make it clear to her just how much she meant it.

And luckily for her, she now had three dates to work with.

A loud crack of thunder shook her from her thoughts. She looked outside, and saw that the clouds had darkened, heavy precipitation now pouring over the city dauntingly. But more than the rain, it was the looming shroud of darkness that seemed to change the atmosphere all together.

A shiver ran down Anna's body. Strange considering the rain never affected her in such a way before. Perhaps the stress from Elsa leaving to confront Hans alone was finally beginning to settle in.

Suddenly, there was a knock at her door.

"Just a second." She exited the balcony and made her way to the opposite end of the room to open the door, finding Mattias standing on the other side of the entrance.

"Your Majesty," The general greeted her with a bow. "The council has requested for your presence."

"Oh. Right now?" She asked.

"Yes. Immediately."

That was certainly a surprise. She had already allowed the board to retire for the day, or at least until Elsa had returned.

And also...

It was usually Kai or Gerda who would come fetch her in these situations.

"You go on ahead. I'll be there in a b-"

"That won't be necessary. I'll wait to escort you." He quickly answered.

For the first time ever, she felt a hint of discomfort for the army general. The rigidness in his tone wasn't obvious, but it was still there, and it seemed extremely out of character for him to be so forward.

"Mattias, are you feeling alright?"

"Of course." He answered with a smile. "Are _you_ alright, Your Majesty?"

Anna stared at him for a moment, eyes narrowed, before finally shaking her head to dismiss her worries. "Yeah, I'm fine. We can go."

The man bowed again, moving aside to allow her to exit, and began pacing a few steps behind her as they made their way to the council hall.

* * *

The servant staff was nowhere in the halls which were soundless as the grave. It had been quiet for most of the day, but the lack of activity now seemed almost unnerving. Here and there, Arendelle guards stood in front of doors and before entryways, and when Anna passed, their heads turned to watch her go. No maids, and no other people, were to be found.

The strange shiver returned.

Outside the windows, the city was even darker now. The showers had now transitioned to a torrential downpour, pounding against the walls with a similar intensity as hail. The lights within the corridors were dispersed and warm candles burned like feeble fireflies through the dark. The castle seemed somehow...smaller, now, as if the walls were shrinking, cowering from the storm.

And for a moment, Anna swore she saw the shadows of the corridor shift, a crawling feeling unsettling her.

Something wasn't right.

She wasn't given the time to dwell on it, moments later arriving in the council hall.

To her dismay and confusion, the council members were not present. The table was empty, not a single chair displaced from its position underneath it. Most noticeably, the room was dark, candles unlit, and shadows hanging all the way from the ceiling to the floor.

She was prepared to question the man who had come to retrieve her, when out of the corner of her eye she noticed several figures lined up against the wall. To her right and to her left. She didn't notice them when she had first walked in, mostly due to how dark it was, and also because the pillars around the room had obscured her view.

But now her attention could not be drawn away from them.

Arendelle guards. Several of them. Unmoving like statues.

All of them eyed her. The same way the few she had passed by in the halls had earlier.

Wordlessly.

Without turning to look at him, Anna addressed Mattias.

"Mattias."

"Yes."

"Where are the advisors?"

A pause.

"They're on their way, Your Majesty."

Anna heard it then. In the way he said 'Your Majesty'.

It was monotone.

If there was one thing that she shared with the army general, it was their inside joke of how he would tease her over her title.

"I told you to not call me that."

The man did not respond.

She sucked in a silent breath, and for a moment time seemed to stop.

A flash of metal sung in the air.

She pulled the sword hanging from her side loose and whipped around, a clash of steel ringing out as she barely found the time to block the sweeping strike of Mattias.

She had worn her sword earlier that day in preparation for her potential departure to Sogn with Elsa, and had forgotten to take it off afterward. Though in hindsight, she was grateful now for her neglect on the matter.

She forced their intertwined blades upward, and then spun to deliver a kick to the man's chest, knocking him back several feet away from her.

"Mattias! What the hell are you doing?" She demanded.

At first he seemed still, unbreathing, and then suddenly, there was movement in her peripherals. Two Arendelle guards removed themselves from their previous stance along the walls, and stepped forward to face her.

What in the world was going on?

Was this a coup?

The guards drew their swords.

Anna brought her own sword in front of her in response. Focus. _Focus._ Deep breaths. I've done this many times before, she thought. But even so, her knees were shaking treacherously.

No matter how she tried to look at it, it was different. So very different. These weren't enemies. They were her own people.

"I order you to put down your weapons!" She shouted.

But her command was ignored, and the two guards rushed at her simultaneously.

A statue of armor was conveniently placed to her right. Reaching over, she removed the shield from the set to use it as her own. The first guard leaped forward with a downward swing. She swiveled to the right to dodge and proceeded to launch herself at him. The man tried to intercede, but she bashed his hand away with a strong thrust of her shield. The guard staggered backwards, and Anna spun around and drove the pommel of her sword into his nose. The man crumbled to the floor.

Her heart dropped immediately. She had managed to put the man down without drawing blood, but the notion that she had just inflicted pain on one of her own guards had her confidence wavering.

Before she had a chance to recompose herself, the second guard was on her, his sword narrowly missing her face, and managing to slice a strand of her hair as she spun away.

She took a deep breath, collecting herself, and then charged at him, shield first. The man brought his sword low and wide, and tried to stab her in the side – but it was the wrong side. Her shield caught the blade and reflected the blow, knocking the sword out of his hand. She pushed him against the wall, pinning his right hand down with her shield, and brought her fist to his temple, knocking him out cold.

Her chest was heaving and her knuckles hurt. Pain. Both in her hand and her heart. Smaller than a dozen, but ten guards now deployed themselves to surround her. She couldn't believe it. Why would the royal guard betray her like this?

Why would Mattias betray her like this?

Anna jumped to the side, narrowly dodging a stab at her stomach, as she landed with a skid. "Mattias, stop this right now! You don't have to-" a savage swipe from another guard broke her concentration. She brought her sword up to parry the blow, just barely meeting his steel. Two more guards approached from behind, and she spun deftly to meet their swings. Cling, clang, clang, their steel sang and they went back and forth. They had the reach on her, but fortunately she had speed, and she nimbly dodged and met their blows, whistling her blade around their relentless strikes.

She was panicking, and she knew it. She couldn't keep this strategy going for much longer. She had to attack without holding back or eventually they would overwhelm her with numbers.

But she refused to draw blood.

She wouldn't.

Back-and forth they went. Them launching their attacks. Her dodging and blocking constantly, and launching ripostes when she thought she could.

A cut to her leg, and she cried out.

_I can't._

Another cut, this time on her arm.

_I won't._

Anna rolled away to find more room.

_Not against my people._

She found herself backed against the wall.

' _ **It's useless. You can't run.'**_ A dark voice whispered, encroaching her mind.

Her throat tightened at the familiarity of the voice.

' **Not so strong without your sister here, are you?'**

She spun around as quickly as she could to block the incoming strike. On the inside, her mind raced. The voice was all too familiar. The same voice that had asked her for her hand in marriage all those years ago. The same slithering deceit when she had been left to die as her heart froze into eternal ice. The trust, and then the betrayal.

_It can't be…_

' **I figured that no one would ever be able to live up to your recklessness, Anna. But I was wrong. You're not reckless.'**

Hans's voice rang out clearly now,

' **You're just weak.'**

Anna saw red then.

She launched herself forward. The guards came at her like a wave. She raised shield and sword, and lost herself to the fight.

She spun and slashed and spun and moved.

She stabbed someone in the chest and cut off someone's arm. Fire was in her. Her heart throbbed and pulsed.

A guard came lunging at her with a short sword. She slashed his face mid-spin, and he went tumbling to the floor again, face-first.

Her sword burned in her hand. The mens' swords came down, one after the other, and Anna repelled one and then the other. She moved like a flurry, a cavalcade of steel, a blur of swift thrusts and slashes, as shouts and screams of pain cried out in succession.

A lone man swung at her, a blow she received on her shield. She twisted her shield arm to the side, knocking the blade away. She was barely able to discern the face of Sir Hugh, but by the time she noticed it was too late. The point of her sword drove into the guard's belly mercilessly. She felt the sword puncture his leather top and part the chain links of the shirt underneath.

The man bent forward in agony, and for mere moments their eyes met.

"I'm sorry," He whispered. "Your Majesty…"

She choked on her own gasp. Frantically, she pulled her sword loose, and he fell to the ground. Her heart was slamming against her ribcage. The surrounding world seemed to spin. Only then did the rank, bloody stink of the room hit her, and she felt like she was going to be sick. Her sword was red, the floor was red. She looked down at her hands and body. More red.

Twenty Arendelle guards lay dead at her feet.

_What have I done…_

Through her haze of disbelief, she made out the sole figure of Mattias still standing before her.

Now that her eyes had adjusted to the darkness, the details of his face became clear. It was his face but something was missing, leaving vacant eyes that revealed none of his precocious mind. It took only a second for Anna to finally make the connection; Mattias had been put under a spell by Hans.

As was probably the entire royal guard.

"Mattias-"

She didn't have a chance to voice the thought. The captain closed the space between them quicker than she could have anticipated and swung at her.

Anna blocked with her shield, but it was knocked out of her grip, sliding ten feet away from her. With no shield now, she gripped her sword with both hands.

"Mattias, you have to snap out of it! Break out of his spell!" She yelled desperately.

' **It's no use.'**

Without warning, Mattias changed stances and jumped forward, slashing in a quick and frightening attack. _Clang, clang,_ Anna blocked the slashes with no small amount of effort. It was a relentless attack, and every move was performed with intent. Anna found herself thinking back to their previous duel weeks back, thinking about her positioning. Slowly, she gave ground, though she continued to repel his attacks.

Back and forth they went as Anna defended and attempted to riposte, though the captain was quick and did not fold easily. It was surprisingly difficult, and Anna felt beads of sweat form on her forehead. _How is he so fast?_ she thought. _He wasn't nearly this fast back then…_

"Let him go, you monster!" She yelled in the middle of her swings.

' **Is it painful? To know that Elsa failed?'**

"Get out of my head!" She demanded.

' **She really did put up a good fight, though in the end she was weak. Very much like you.'**

Anna was breathing heavily, struggling to maintain her control.

"You're lying!"

' **Ah, Anna. Why would I lie about something that should be so obvious to everyone? Elsa was powerless against me.'**

"Shut up!"

" **I did give her a chance you know? To join me..."**

" **You know…"**

A painful silence.

" **Before I killed her."**

If her last outburst was like a glass of water overflowing, the rage she felt now was like a tidal wave that crashed over the surface of the lands. Anna lost the grip on her emotions and completely succumbed to her wrath, her higher brain functions devolving into an intense bloodlust for the man.

Anna jumped off the back of her heels, flying into Mattias, swinging her sword in a frenzied attack. It was swift, and her arm was strong. The captain quickly lost ground, barely keeping up with Anna's swings. She felt feral, her heart burning with anger and strength. _Clang, clang, fwip_ – Mattias's form fell apart. With a lunge, Anna whipped around and gave a firm horizontal swing, cleanly knocking the man's sword out of his grasp.

She pushed him against the wall, pinning his legs against the surface with her own, and brought her sword edge up to his neck.

"I will kill you now, you bastard." She seethed.

Her bloodlust was clouding her cognizance, no longer able to discern Mattias apart from someone that Hans's was possessing.

For the entirety of their fight, Mattias had been expressionless, a vacant shell operating only on motor functions. But now he looked positively frightened, his facial features drawn with terror.

"Please, Anna…" He gasped.

At the utterance of her name, the anger left her eyes instantly.

She hesitated.

The hesitance was all that Hans's needed. It was too late before she realized that she had fallen for his trap.

From his waist, Mattias withdrew a hidden knife, and sliced at her wrist, a glisten of red appearing along her skin, and Anna dropped her sword with a gasp of pain.

He lashed out, bashing her across the skull with her fist, and she went flying towards the ground. Before her senses could make out her surroundings, the man was on top of her, bringing the knife up to her neck.

"Mattias…" She managed weakly, desperately trying to get the man to snap out of Hans's control. A dark chuckle resounded in the hall, and the hairs on Anna's neck shot up.

Footsteps, and from the corner of the room, emerged a hidden figure.

"Ah. Very good, general." Hans walked towards them while slowly clapping his hands. "I knew I could count on someone in this castle to step up."

The evil king looked down at her struggling form, and Anna felt her blood boil.

"You know what they say, Anna." Hans began, as he looked to Mattias. "The purer the heart, the more powerful the corruption. The poor general here...so loyal he was to you. But in the end, they are nothing but mere puppets for my bidding."

She stared daggers at the man. "You'll never get away with this."

"Oh Anna." He grinned widely. "Are you sure you want those to be your last words?"

Her heart stopped, and Hans looked sharply towards the general.

"Kill her."

Anna whimpered and shut her eyes, bracing herself for the inevitable.

Seconds passed.

But nothing came.

"Kill her." Hans repeated.

Again, silence.

"No."

"I'm sorry?" Hans's brow furrowed slightly.

"No." Mattias said again.

Hans blinked and his eyes flashed with irritation. "Did you hear me? I said, _kill her! Slit her throat!_ What part of that do you not understand?"

"No."

Anna didn't know what was going on, but the knife being held against her throat was shaking. She turned and saw that Mattias's eyes were no longer blank, but crazed, tears streaking silently down his face. "No," He said again, voice shaking as well.

"What _is_ this?" Hans growled with sudden vehemence, pulling backwards. His gaze darted from side to side rapidly. "Why isn't this working? It was working before, but you… you… you-"

In the next moment, Mattias's weight was off of her, and he was lunging quickly towards Hans, knife raised, aiming for the man's throat.

It was a good strike, true – but no. His knife found no purchase, nothing solid. It moved into shadowy whisps, and Mattias's eyes widened in shock.

The next second felt like it passed in slow motion in Anna's eyes.

Hans replied swiftly by thrusting his arm, taking that of a shape of a dark blade, through the man's abdomen, and the light left the general's eyes immediately.

"NO!" Anna screamed.

He withdrew his arm, and the man that was one of Anna's most loyal of companions, fell lifelessly to the floor.

Quicker than a flash, she reached for her sword, screaming. One quick slash, that's all she needed. Anna lunged forward, bringing her blade down in a wide, slashing arc, aiming for Hans's head.

Hans's eyes followed the path of Anna's sword dispassionately. Wordlessly, he held out his left hand and grabbed the oncoming blade, clutching it tightly around the edge. Anna struggled to pull the sword back, but his grip was unrelenting. She looked at his hand and saw no blood, no trace that he even felt the sharp edge of the sword.

Suddenly, the sword shattered. A piercing shriek ripped the air as steel slivers fell to the floor in a clanging patter. Anna gasped, and stumbled backwards. She looked at her right hand: all that remained of the sword was the wooden hilt, the ruby in the pommel glinting faintly in the very little light there was.

_No…_

A shadowy hand extended towards her.

Darkness.

_Elsa...I'm sorry._

And then nothing.


	14. The Key to My Heart

**Disclaimer: Flashbacks ahoy! The following years used are the official dates provided by disney for the frozen timeline.**

* * *

_**~1820~** _

_**Twenty One Years Ago** _

Elsa was nervous.

Well...as nervous as a three-year-old could be about seeing her newborn sister.

Six months ago when her mother and father had informed her that she would be having a little sister, she had been delighted. Having a sister meant having a friend. And having friends...well...was something that was entirely new to her. It truly was exciting.

But she wasn't sure why the castle had turned as crazy as it had, the staff seemed to be filled with anticipation, and she hadn't seen her mother or father for an entire week.

" _Your mother is still recovering, dear. You'll be able to see her the day after tomorrow, okay?"_

Gerda had told her that four days ago, the deadline provided already clearly passed. For all the strangeness and changes that had occurred, Elsa was beginning to worry that having a little sister might be more troublesome for her parents than she wanted.

What had the servants said? That having a child took a lot of energy? She didn't quite understand what they had meant. All she knew was that things were somehow different now. For better or worse, she was struggling to wrap her head around it.

Again, she swallowed anxiously.

A few more minutes passed before the door to her parents bedroom finally opened, and Elsa was overcome with relief when she saw her father standing on the other side.

"Elsa, are you ready to meet your sister?"

She nodded, though timidly.

As she entered the bedroom, Elsa shyed behind her father's legs, cautiously looking around the room for anything that would take her by surprise. Her anxiety calmed however, when she saw the familiar face of her mother lying in bed with her back propped up by pillows.

Her mother was tired, that much was apparent, but Elsa quickly took notice of the shape of something in the queen's arms that appeared to be a bundle of blankets.

"Elsa, come here." With a gentle voice Iduna invited her onto the bed, and Elsa, as primly as she could, crawled her way to her mother's side. Once she got closer she realized that the shape in her mother's arms was indeed a group of blankets, but something or rather someone was wrapped inside its contents. The peculiar shape of a face made Elsa gasp in silent wonder.

"Her name is Anna. Your little sister. Say hello."

"Anna…" Elsa breathed.

It took the three-year-old princess another good minute of silence for her to come to terms with what she was seeing. The baby had a small but chubby face and strands of bright red hair barely peeking over the top of her head. Her eyes were closed, resting peacefully in her mother's comforting hold.

The longer Elsa stared, the more...connected she felt. It was difficult to describe, but there was something about the little ball of life wrapped in her mother's arms that she couldn't quite shake.

"She's so small."

Iduna laughed softly. "Well of course. You were this small too at her age."

She was quickly overcome with a certain feeling. A softness. A gentle warmth that spread through her heart like soothing sunlight during a cool autumn day.

"Can I hold her, mama?"

"Of course, sweetie." Iduna smiled. "Come over here and lay down like me. It will be easier to hold her this way."

Elsa nudged close next to her mother, and the queen gently deposited the newborn child into the princess's careful but waiting arms. She cradled the baby against her chest in the way that she saw her mother do earlier, staring silently down at her new sister. She was still nervous, especially with the fact that she now knew for sure that the little ball of weight in her arms was indeed alive.

But that was also what made it seem so much more special, and Elsa couldn't help but allow the bright smile from forming on her face.

"Hi, Anna. I'm Elsa." She said shyly.

If there was anything that the blonde princess had expected from her introduction, crying was the last thing on the list. Just moments after Elsa spoke, Anna began bawling loudly, seeming to sense that the person holding her now was no longer the same maternal presence from before.

Elsa began to panic and looked to her mother in confusion, but Iduna simply chuckled, shaking her head, signifying that no help would be coming from her way.

"It's okay," Elsa said to calm the cries. "I won't hurt you."

She continued in her attempt to placate the infant with her words, but the cries persisted, and the young princess felt saddened by the possibility that perhaps her new little sister might not want to be friends with her after all.

But suddenly, an idea struck her.

Elsa waved her hand in front of her, and with great concentration, created a miniature cloud in the air. Tiny snowflakes fell gently from above onto the infant's head, and the cries eventually subsided. Her newborn sister who seconds ago was bawling her eyes out, was now looking on at her magical display in hushed silence.

Elsa smiled.

"See. I won't hurt you."

The young infant responded by making an unintelligible sound and reached out with her arms. For a moment, Elsa was confused, but she carefully held out one of her hands. Immediately, Anna grabbed ahold of it, and wrapped her own tiny hands around two of her fingers, making a gurgling sound that Elsa could only describe as happy.

Her heart melted into warm mush.

She snuggled closer into her baby sister and giggled delightedly. A bond that she never knew how much she yearned for, was now forming before her very own eyes, and with it came a powerful sense of protectiveness that consumed her very soul.

Her little sister.

Her first friend.

"You're okay, Anna. I've got you."

* * *

_**~1824~** _

_**Seventeen Years Ago** _

"...and they lived happily ever after." Elsa closed the book with a thump.

"Wow…" Anna breathed, "That was a great story, Elsa. Do you think I will have a prince charming to save me from a dragon too one day?"

Elsa smiled fondly. "I'm sure you will. I think any prince would gladly save a pretty princess like you."

"But you're prettier!"

"Nope. I think you're way prettier."

"Boo…" The four-year-old princess stuck her tongue out. "Well anyway, my prince charming has to be super special."

"Oh yeah? And what would your prince charming be like, Your Highness?" Elsa asked with amusement.

"Well first he has to loooove chocolate."

"Who doesn't love chocolate?"

"I know right!" Anna agreed. "Second he has to be very pretty."

Elsa cocked an eyebrow. "I don't know about pretty...I think the word you're looking for is handso-"

"Oh!" Anna interrupted her and perked up excitedly, "And he has to have ice powers!"

"Ice powers?" Elsa repeated.

"Yup!"

"Anna...I don't think anyone else has ice powers except me."

"Oh." The younger girl's smile visibly fell but her face lit up again mere moments after. "Then _you_ can be my prince charming!"

"Me?"

"Mhm!"

"But I'm a princess."

Anna simply smiled in response. "That's okay! We'll just change the name to _princess_ charming!"

Elsa was silent at first, staring, but soon broke into an onslaught of giggles that filled the room with vibrance.

"Are you sure that's what you want?"

"Yup!"

"Then it's a deal. I'll be your princess charming."

"Really?" Anna brought her hands up in front of her wondrously. "You'll save me from the dragon? Promise?"

Elsa giggled again and nodded. "I promise. I'll save you from the dragon."

"Hooray! Elsa's going to save me from the dragon!" Anna cheered.

The young redhead continued her celebration, and Elsa watched on with a doting smile. She was at the age where she knew realistically that Anna's wish would very likely never come true. Anna was a princess in a protected castle, she was in no position to be rescued, and in almost every fairy tail that they read, it was a knight that would rescue the princess, not another princess or a future queen.

But lie she would do.

If a princess charming was what her little sister wanted, then that's what she would pretend to be.

Because in the end...

Seeing Anna smile was so worth it.

* * *

_**~1835~** _

_**6 Years Ago** _

Cold.

Elsa lay awake, suffering through the emptiness in her chest for the umpteenth time; she curled up against her headboard, drawing her legs to her chest, the temperature in the room quickly dropping alongside with the gesture.

_Knock_

_Knock_

_Knock_

"Elsa…?"

The blonde's stomach dropped.

It had been a week since the funeral.

She'd been ignoring Anna for the entire past ten years. Somewhere along the line, she had gotten used to the degrading feeling of knowing that with each passing day her sister probably hated her that much more. It would hurt. No matter how much she got used to it, it would always hurt. But this new pain was different. It cut deeper on an entirely different scale.

Mama and papa were gone.

And with the gaping wound in her chest from that loss, came the brutalizing reality that Anna was truly alone now.

She walked over to the door, sitting in front of it, facing where her sister would be and placed a hand against the cold wood, her touch sending ice across the painted door. "Anna…" she whispered, too quiet for the princess to pick up.

She could hear Anna's sobbing from the other side. Her heart was breaking. She was a ghost of herself now. It hurt far worse to be separated from her sister knowing that the only source of true comfort that the younger girl could possibly receive now was from her.

"I don't…I don't want to hurt you." She whispered to herself. The results were apparent. With every additional day of mourning, came an intensification of animosity in her magic. Malicious spikes rose from every inch of the room. She was losing herself to her curse.

"Elsa...you promised…"

_I did._

"You promised you would save me…"

_I want to more than anything._

"I need you…"

_I need you too..._

"I miss you so much, Elsa…"

It was too much. At those words, Elsa lost all her remaining control. Ice consumed the surface area of the door, every single crevice, every single corner, and blocked every possibility of sound escaping from the wooden barrier.

She cried.

She mourned.

Though never for herself.

All her tears dedicated to the one person that she loved, but could never be with.

Her only friend.

Now her only family.

_I'm so sorry, Anna…_

* * *

_**One Month Ago** _

She wasn't sure what woke her up but she was awake. She laid there, eyes shut against the sun shining through the window. She had to get up, she knew, but desperately didn't want to. A familiar comforting scent of a particular someone hovered in the air around her.

Frigid blue eyes blinked open slowly. A hazy blur of red flooded her vision.

'Wha..?' Memories of the night before burst to the front of her mind, red flooded her cheeks. She leaned up to see over the bushy mane of red hair from her position curled into the younger woman's side.

Anna was flat on her back, mouth hanging open and a light trail of drool on her chin. An unavoidable smile formed on Elsa's face at the ridiculous sight she made, till she realized that her sister was only half covered by the sheets. Her receding blush was back at full force. She couldn't help but stare at the unconscious girl, taking in the small details she'd missed the night before in the low candle light.

' _We actually had sex...'_

Before returning back to Arendelle yesterday, even the thought of participating in such an act with Anna would immediately make her feel ashamed, but this time, the feeling didn't come.

Quite frankly, she felt…happy.

She laid there a while, lifting her hand hesitating in the air before tracing her fingertips gently over every inch of lightly tanned skin not covered by the light pink sheets, paying special attention to every freckle she found spread across the flesh till her sister began to grumble and wiggle under her cool fingers.

She looked down to find a pair of hazy teal orbs staring at her, trying to focus as she wiped away the drool on her mouth.

"Good morning." Elsa said shyly.

Anna slowly blinked before a grin spread across her face. She leaned forward pressing a kiss to her lips, Elsa who was stiff at first gradually responded in kind. They fell back towards the bed with Anna on top.

The redhead broke away first, glancing down to find Elsa gazing up at her in a strange expression she couldn't place, something between awe and fear. Anna pressed a kiss to the blondes' forehead.

"What's wrong?" She asked, voice thick and hoarse with sleep.

Elsa traced her cool fingers over the other girl's collar bone, down and pressing her palm flat against her chest over her heart. Anna blinked down at her questioningly.

"I was afraid it was just a dream…" She mumbled it so quietly Anna almost didn't catch it. "Do you remember...how when we were kids? The fairy tale that I read to you about the knight and the trapped princess. At the very end of the story, you asked me if I would save you from the dragon."

Anna remembered, but she remained silent to let Elsa continue.

"Back then I said that I would rescue you. But time and time again as the years passed, it's always been the opposite." Her chest tightened painfully.

"You're the one that saves me. Always." She realized, voice filled with emotion. "Whether I was trapped in Athohallan, or when I ran away from home because I was scared of these feelings...you've never given up on me. I'm just...I just..." Her breath hitched. "I'm just so happy...that I can have someone like you in my life."

Elsa looked up with fearful eyes. "It feels too good to be true...I can't help but be afraid that this is just a dream."

Anna pulled Elsa closer and peppered kisses over her face.

"It's not." Elsa's eyes prickled with tears. "I love you Elsa, and I'm not going anywhere. So don't cry." She wiped at the single tear sliding down her cheek. "Smile, it's so much prettier." Anna felt her heart flutter when a small adoring smile tugged at Elsa's lips.

"Much better." Anna pressed a slow soft kiss to the smiling lips.

Elsa nuzzled her face into Anna's neck, kissing the sensitive freckled skin there.

"From now on...if you are ever in need of rescuing. I'll be the one to do it." She promised resolutely. Though the moment the words left her lips, she realized how corny the statement was, and quickly averted her gaze to look at anywhere but the topless girl leaning over her.

"I know you will." The serious tone made her look up into the hovering woman's eyes. Anna pressed their foreheads together. "Do you know how I know? Because I love you, and I know without a doubt that you love me just as much." The blonde melted, embarrassment completely forgotten in favor of wrapping her arms around Anna's neck and kissing her breathless.

This feeling…

The feeling that seemed so fleeting to her for so long...

This was her happiness.

Her home. Her Anna.

She would never take it for granted again.

She would protect it.

To the ends of the earth, she would protect what was true to her heart.

* * *

_**Present** _

The rain was pouring. Harder than it ever had.

The sky was dark. Darker than it ever was.

The castle finally came into view.

And with it, the accumulation of all her memories now built up to this very moment.

She had made it home.

No matter what the cost, she would fulfill her promise.

She had to save her.

"I'm coming, Anna."


	15. Shatter

From a distance the castle appeared dark and empty, but that was to be expected given the imposing weather conditions.

In her mad dash to return to Arendelle, her thoughts had been a mixture of worry and assurance, denying the possibility of arriving too late but also praying for the possibility that Hans had been bluffing. The worst scenario she had envisioned was that she would return to a scene of violence, similar to the one in Sogn, but that would all be okay, so long as Anna wasn't hurt.

So when Elsa arrived at the gates and saw that the entrance had not only been left open, but was also unattended, the alarm quickly settled in. The guards were nowhere to be found. She burst through the foyer entrance, and the similar could be said for the servants. The castle was so quiet that Elsa could hear her heart slamming in her ears, could hear her blood thundering through her veins. She paced herself at first. Eyes searching for Gerda or Kai, or anyone for that matter. She called out for Anna, but was only met with silence. Walking turned into running. She ran, ran down hallways which were once so warm and bright and, now, were cold and empty. Room after room, yet nobody. She ran up flights of stairs, and ran towards the entrance of the council hall, forcing the locked doors open with a blast of her magic.

The stench of blood hit her almost immediately.

Sogn had been bad, but in no way like this.

In one room alone, body upon body, the very essence of slaughter. She wasn't prepared for the excruciation wave of grief that hit her from the sight.

It made the difference when the people who lay wounded and dead were the ones you knew. Twenty Arendelle Guards, some who had been serving since she was just a child, lying motionlessly in a pool of blood. The grief lasted for only a short time, or rather it was overshadowed by the sudden dawn of panic.

Anna.

She sprung up, desperate to continue her pursuit for Hans, but was stopped by the sound of a cough.

She whipped around and saw that towards the back of the room was a body of a man that she hadn't noticed earlier. Walking closer, she quickly realized who it was.

"Mattias!"

Elsa went over to him and knelt at his side. The general groaned, and she realized with a start just how seriously injured he was.

He was bleeding profusely from a large gash in his torso, and the clothing around the injury was already seeped thoroughly in dark red, torn and ripped. The fact that he was still alive with a wound with such a severity was nothing short of a miracle.

"Oh my god," said Elsa, "you're…"

"Dying," finished Mattias weakly. He winced in pain and she pulled him up so that his head was propped up on her lap.

"Wounded," said Elsa. "You're not dead yet."

The general laughed humorlessly. "With a wound like this, it won't be long now... "

"No," Elsa said resolutely, and she carefully directed her magic towards the gash.

Mattias grabbed her hand.

"He's still here…" He managed with a rasp. "He took her away only minutes ago. You have to save her..."

"I will." Elsa said, "But not before I help you."

Mattias groaned again, voice slurred and eyes clouded with pain, "You should've taken her with you." He managed before gritting his teeth.

"I know."

Tendrils of her magic flooded through the open cut. He gasped, nearly passing out in shock from the pain, but a soothing relief soon settled over. Blood stopped flowing as though frozen in his veins. After a brief glow of white light, only the tiniest bit of blood marred the patch of ice that encased the wound.

"This should stop the bleeding for now."

Mattias tried to sit up but found that he couldn't move a single muscle. A wave of fatigue was weighing down over him, and he quickly found himself losing consciousness.

Elsa smiled. "Rest. The magic's doing it's work."

Before his eyes fully closed Mattias managed to grab a hold of her hand.

"Save her..." He whispered, "Elsa."

His head lolled to the side as he finally succumbed to unconsciousness.

Elsa stood, regarding him one last time.

"I will."

* * *

The air was cool and thin around her. A foreign scent filled her nose as she inhaled, struggling to open her eyes. Everything felt…heavy. She tried to move an arm, but something was holding her back entirely. She forced her eyelids apart.

Her wrists were encased in dark restraints, ones entirely composed of shadowy wisps. But they were consolidated. Solid in form, somehow. She looked down and saw that the same shadows were encasing her ankles, and it was then that she noticed that she was being suspended in the air. An endless void of black surrounded her, making her head feel dizzy from the disorientation.

Her head was throbbing. The result of being punched in the temple and immediately being forced into unconsciousness afterwards. She tried to move again, but her restraints were unyielding, and she only made an inch of leeway before the shackles dragged her hands back to their original position. Frustrated, she grunted, the small sound echoing fully in the space around her despite being so vast.

"I wouldn't do that again if I were you. There's no way you're escaping from that." Hans drawled.

Anna's head shot up, glaring at the man, who was now standing in the space in front of her which moments ago was empty. Even though they were surrounded by nothing but darkness, he was surprisingly visible to the eye. The shadows seemed to emanate from his form entirely, making him look positively demonic.

Anger seeped through her skin.

"You _murdered_ Mattias."

"I supposed I did." He answered, "Perhaps you can relate to me now, given that you too slaughtered twenty of your guards with your own hands."

"Don't you dare try to put me on your level. They were under your spell." Anna bit back vehemently.

"Are you sure?" He looked at her in amusement. "I would argue that they were probably just tired of serving under such an incompetent ruler."

She gritted her teeth, but forced herself to hold back the venomous words that were threatening to leave her lips. A part of her may have actually agreed with him, but she wouldn't allow herself to be provoked again.

"Why didn't you kill me?"

For a moment, Hans seemed caught off guard by the question, as if he didn't quite know the answer himself. But it was only for a moment. Seconds later, his composure returned, stoic to a fault.

"I've had a change of heart." He answered. "There's more to you than I thought."

She frowned. "If you think that I would ever join you, then you're sorely mistaken."

At that, Hans broke into a ruccuous of laughter.

"Oh please. Let's not get too ahead of ourselves. I simply meant that I'd like to play with my food for a little bit longer."

"After all," He added on with a suggestive grin, "I'm sure Elsa would be delighted to know that her beloved sister is still alive."

Her eyes went wide.

"But you said-"

"That I killed her?" He scoffed, "Did you really think that I would reveal myself in Sogn like that so recklessly? Have some more respect for me, my dear. I knew she would go alone. It was all a rouse to leave you exposed."

Anna stared daggers at the man. Manipulated and used. She should've never fallen for something so obvious. Even if Hans had been in Sogn, he would've never killed Elsa. His plan was to ultimately use her as one of his weapons for his conquest. She should've remembered that much at least and kept her cool.

Regardless, her heart felt many times lighter than it had before. Elsa was still alive, and that was all that mattered.

"It won't work." She said calmly. "Elsa is stronger than you. You'll never be able to control her."

"Oh, I'm not after Elsa." said Hans matter-of-factly. "I'm very much aware that she would never join my side."

Anna narrowed her eyes, confused.

"Then-"

Suddenly, Hans was in front of her, face to face, reaching with his hand towards her head.

As soon his fingers touched her skin, she saw white.

A myriad of images forced its way to her mind painfully.

Chaos.

Desecration.

She saw a small acreage of family land turned to ash, the people turned to lifeless husks of greed and madness.

She saw cities turning on themselves, slaughtering each other with no other incentive but barbarity.

It was wrong. It was inhumane. It was a world coming to it's an imminent end, and at the destruction's center lied a sole being, the utter embodiment of evil.

She saw the ones that stood in its way.

The four guardians of the spirits. One of fire, water, earth, and wind.

All of them led by a beautiful goddess, blessed with the power of ice.

She saw them fall. One by one, consumed by the shadows. And when the goddess fell.

The world was no more.

_Only darkness._

In the next instant, the images faded away, and Anna returned to reality, in shock, and gasping for air.

She looked to Hans in disbelief, who was grinning madly now.

"So now you know," stated Hans.

"Was that…" She started, swallowing the knot in her throat. "the past?"

"No." He answered

"You can't do this," said Anna. She tried to sound firm, but her voice was shaking. "Elsa won't let you."

"I'll let her be the decider for that," said Hans.

Abruptly, he turned.

"Speak of the devil, it seems that she's arrived." He waved a hand, and a dark portal formed in front of him. "Let's have some fun shall we?"

"Don't you dare hurt her!"

But in the next moment he was gone. The hole disappeared, and she was once again left alone in the empty abyss of Hans's prison.

Fear consumed her quickly.

She was afraid, more afraid than ever before in her life.

But not for herself.

If those visions were any indication of Hans's true power, then Elsa was truly in danger.

* * *

She found herself in a long, cool hallway, lit by a series of tiny silvery windows in the eaves above. At the far end, the door to the throne room awaited. Elsa walked along the carpet and met the door, opening it with a careful hand and slipping in through the entrance.

Inside, a long, dark, high-ceilinged hall laid before her. The walls were lined with thick, purple curtains, cast between tall, thin pillars. An intricate diamond carved itself at the center of the pathway that ran the length of the room to the dais at the end, where a man sat in a familiar throne.

Her throne.

Hans had been waiting for her, as she had suspected. This was the most obvious place he'd be. Both symbolic in his previous attempt in overtaking her kingdom, as well as the traditional location for negotiation.

But there would be no negotiation. She would never join his side. Elsa would make sure of that.

"You made your way back from Sogn sooner than I thought," said Hans with a smirk, "And here I was beginning to think that I had crushed all your remaining spirit back there."

She walked down the pathway, each step bringing her closer to him. With every step, the silent storm around her danced, and ice bled over the floor, froze over on the chandeliers. Nothing impeded her approach.

"My my Elsa, where are your manners?" Hans tried again. "No interest in addressing your new king?"

"Where is she?" Elsa demanded.

"Where is who, exactly?"

The ice whipping around her noticeably intensified. "You know damn well who I'm talking about."

Hans chuckled.

"Why are you in such a rush dear?" he asked, "Let's have some fun first. No need to get all icy with me."

She hated Hans so violently in that moment that it made her sick. Someone who toyed with life as if it was nothing but a game to him, it filled her with an insurmountable hatred.

"Enough!" Elsa yelled, "You'll let Anna go this instant if there's any part of you that's smart enough to value your life."

"Oh ho ho!" said Hans with a clap, "Now that's more like it! That violent side of yours, let's see it first hand shall we? To be honest, the last time we fought you left me quite disappointed."

Hans was provoking her and she knew it. Every bone in her screamed out in hunger for the man's life, but she couldn't act on it. Not yet. Anna was still missing. She needed to confirm her well-being before anything else.

"I'm not going to fight you. Now answer me. Where is Anna?" She demanded again.

Hans stared at her silently, reading her expression, before sighing, disappointed.

"Looks like I'll have to force it out of you after all."

It was instant. In the next moment, Hans was hurling a dark bolt of magic directly at her.

Under normal circumstances, she would've been late to the counterattack, but her magic had already been circulating around her in the moments prior. She raised a hand, and flung out her own bolt of ice. The two attacks collided in an explosion that shook the hall violently.

Through the smoke, Hans ascended into the air. He had taken the hulking form of a shadowy beast, now looming nearly fifteen feet over her head and practically taking up the entire chamber space. Elsa fled around the room's perimeter, eyes tracking every miniscule movement as Hans turned to follow. Wrapping around a pillar, she whipped her arm forward, sending a wave of snow crashing towards the beast, but what should have been crushing impact only melted against the black flames that comprised its body.

The beast roared. She raised her free arm, and an arc of ice bloomed just in time to block the shadowy fist that slammed down. Seeing the ice begin to crack, she sped around again, just before her wall shattered.

"How long are you going to run?" Hans bellowed.

Elsa came to an abrupt halt, adjusting the flow of her magic to launch her backwards as another blow crashed into the floor. Halfway through her flight, she spun midair and launched a spear of ice forward. It arced at a deadly speed, but was stopped in its path by another shadowy fist.

There was a moment of delay in his attack, and Elsa didn't let that opportunity slip by. She sprung off her heel, and rocketed forward towards Hans, slicing through the extended limb with a blade of ice. Hearing the pained roar that erupted from the beast, she smirked in satisfaction.

The celebratory feeling was short lived. Hans's shadows quickly condensed, and moments later a new hand was formed. With a thunderous rumble, Hans lashed out. Elsa barely found the time to dodge, throwing herself out of the way from the attack and his fist struck the walls of the room, punching straight through, but Hans seemed to have no intention of stopping. Following Elsa's movements, he swung his arm around, crashing through the structure of the hall as he went. One by one pillars fell, and by the time he was finished, the foundation of the throne room collapsed sending rubble crashing down on top of them.

Elsa dodged the falling debris as even the ceiling collapsed, weaving through the boulders and flinging them aside with her magic. It was all she could do to pray that Anna wasn't within the vicinity.

Now open aired, the room was assaulted by the rain above. The winds were strong and battered with audible force. Elsa conjured a ramp and glided upwards. She never stopped moving even as the beast threw bolt after bolt of dark flames, missing each time as she sped past. When Hans threw the fire into her path, she stomped her foot, growing an arc that curved over the flames, and continued on higher and higher. Her arm outstretched so that she never stopped unleashing ice around the shadowy beast. Her efforts were aided by the rain, deterring the intensity of Hans's flames.

Before long, she had constructed a web of ice around Hans.

She leapt off the end of the ramp, and clenched her fist. The dome of ice compressed, crushing everything within its grasp.

There was no way he could get away from that in time.

Landing and whirling around, she was barely able to construct a wall to block the shrapnel that flew in all directions, as the ice burst apart with an ear splitting explosion.

The smoke cleared, and at the center of the debris stood Hans, now returned to his human form.

"A commendable tactic, Elsa," said Hans, "But it means little when your magic itself is weak."

Elsa frowned, lowering her barrier. There wasn't a single scratch or any hint to suggest that she had inflicted damage to him.

"I believe it's about time for you to understand just how different we are in strength." He said before again launching another attack towards her.

However, this time it was different.

Shadows leapt forward, and the fury of Hans's magic was unlike anything Elsa had ever experienced. It was a soundless apocalypse that poured forth from his hands and crashed through even the barrier of her ice, enveloping her completely. Elsa could not see, hear, or even feel anything but darkness, the excruciating pull of his magic on all sides, threatening to tear her body apart and scatter her mind.

Elsa pushed back with her magic against the shadows that were trying to infiltrate her very being. Her mouth opened in a long scream as she managed to break an opening through the spell around her. The magic shattered and she was flung backwards like a ragdoll, Elsa rolled along the floor and hit the side of a stone boulder.

"Get up," Hans said.

Time seemed to move slowly. Elsa crouched to steady herself, dazed, body aching, taking time to recover from the assault before charging across the hall towards Hans. She slashed violently at the air, and from the tip of her fingers, crescents of ice flowed forth.

Hans batted the spells aside, closing the distance between them within a second. Elsa formed a blade of ice in her hand, and Hans met her sword with his own two blades of shadow, one in each hand. Elsa growled and whipped her sword around, slamming it down again and again, and again and again he parried. Until she swung too hard and overextended; Hans immediately capitalized, stabbing straight forward at her gut. Elsa twisted out of the way as best as she could, but even still, the blade managed to slice into her side. She cried out in pain.

Now Hans was on the offensive, and she knew then just how little she lacked in terms of swordsmanship. Twin blades scissored for her head, and Elsa could only duck to avoid decapitation. She leapt back from the next attempt, only for Hans to bring one blade crashing down into hers, the force sending numbing jolts up her arm. His strength was nearly tenfold of it was before. Before she could react, Hans spun and kicked her directly in the gut.

Elsa fell backwards and landed on her back, barely able to see past the pain. Only reflex saved her when Hans slashed down and she rolled away, getting back on her feet to blast a burst of ice at him defensively, that of which he simply slashed away with his blades. He was instantly on her again, she had a fraction of second to react, just in time to block another flurry of slashes. Each of Hans's blades moved differently, in completely different directions at the same time, so that she was hard-pressed to block both. Her form crumbled, and Hans flipped one of his swords so that it was pommel-first and backhanded Elsa across the face.

She reeled back and fell on her back, mouth filled with blood.

"Weak," Hans spat. "Blessed with magic that can't even be utilized properly. All your sentiments of moral righteousness do nothing but hold back your potential. You disappoint me, Elsa. You're just as worthless as your sister."

A spark.

"Don't you _dare_ talk about Anna that way!"

Elsa sprung up and lunged forward, slamming her blade down as fast as she could, swinging with all her strength so that Hans was forced to block with both; and then she dropped her own blade, and threw herself forward, driving her entire body into Hans, sending them both crashing to the floor. Hans scrambled to rise, but Elsa seized his legs again and forced him down again, but not before he swung and struck her face, knocking her away. This time Hans was on top, and he struck at her savagely. Shaking with effort, every thought consumed by the pain that wracked her body, she wasn't able to dispel magic in time, her only option was to bring her arms up desperately to block Hans's inhuman pummels.

Finally, Elsa managed to deliver a kick to Hans's gut to knock him off of her.

She tried to rise. Her muscles screamed in protest, and her limbs rested heavy and unresponsive. She simply lay there, staring up at the rain that fell on her face.

_Anna…_

She could hear Hans rise to his feet and laugh at her broken state.

"What's wrong, Elsa?" He taunted, "Surely there's more to you than this."

Weakly, Elsa propped herself onto her elbows.

"Go to hell," She spat weakly.

"Your sister would be heavily disappointed to know that you were this overwhelmed against me." said Hans.

And then he smirked.

"That is…"

A pause.

"-if she were still alive."

Elsa said nothing at first, eyes wide trying to comprehend his implication.

Then her expression hardened, growling out, "You're lying."

"A fair assumption," replied Hans with a knowing smile. "I lied to you about her death back then didn't I? On the fjord three years ago."

But suddenly, he fixed her with a serious stare. "However…"

From seemingly out of nowhere, the length of a fabric appeared in his hand, as he threw it in front of her for her to see.

Elsa felt her heart stop entirely.

It was Anna's cloak.

Even with all the dust that hung in the air, Elsa could clearly make out the scent that was distinctly her sister's.

And even with the concussion that she was suffering from, the blood that painted the length of the cloak was as clear as day.

"No…" She whispered.

"She thought of you to her very last moments, Elsa."

Her vision was blurred, either from the pain or sorrow, she couldn't tell anymore.

"But worry not, I made it painless."

Failure.

She couldn't protect her.

She couldn't save her.

"Well you know...after I tortured and mutilated her entire body."

The spark. Now a flame, small, feeble. It grew. To a scale. A fire that raged through her. Her heart pounded ferociously, but she couldn't feel it. Control over her senses was no longer present.

Her limits. They had vanished. There was nothing to hold her back anymore.

Nothing to protect anymore.

Anna was gone.

Howling winds heralded the glacial storm that struck in the room where Elsa was now standing, shards of ice pelting down with violent impact, all of it swept into a spiraling snowstorm. The power came faster, stronger, almost uncontrollable in its intensity.

All the while, Hans watched on in with a growing grin.

"Now that's more like it."

Her power mounted, stronger and stronger, until it hit a crescendo. And then, finally, magic, the highest peak of cold, temperatures dipping below absolute zero, circulated around her. Torrent after torrent of ice streaking out as cold continued to circulate through her blood, until even her eyes flashed frigid blue. A crackling blizzard burst through, whispering over her skin and bringing with it the pain and pleasure of intoxicating power.

Elsa had completely succumbed to her rage.

Spinning on her heel, she snapped her hands out and streaks of white blasted from her fingertips.

Hans managed to form a barrier, but even then Elsa willed the ice to break through easily, and wave after wave of white surged forward to decimate, to demolish, to destroy, every single one of his attempts at counterattacks. Hans' eyes went wide as he spun away and barely escaped the explosion of cold that erupted from its collision with the stone behind him.

With a stamp of her foot the entire courtyard froze over, the storm raged stronger and she rode the wind one with the sky. Free and weightless, Elsa glided across the icy plains, pursuing her prey.

She weaved through the storm and threw bolt after bolt of deadly cold to sear through Hans's blasts of magic, the tempest withdrew with concussive force as Elsa stood at the eye of the storm, spiraling through the air before reentering her body.

Hans grunted and upped his intensity, unleashing the same vicious attack that had overwhelmed her previously. Numerous violent shadows leapt forward towards her, blackness, dark as the void.

But it didn't matter.

Elsa raised her hands and the air turned in on itself, forming a flawless sheet of impervious ice. Every single shadow sputtered uselessly into the ice, penetrating less than a centimeter before being forcibly halted. The entire structure imploded with an earth-shattering roar, to land on the ground as shards of fractured crystal.

Hans gritted his teeth as he struggled to prevent himself from being blown away by the shockwave. He looked up and for the first time since setting foot in Arendelle, he felt a hint of fear.

Elsa looked crazed. An entire corner of her face was awash with blood and her hair had been scattered, more of the white now draped with red. It was mesmerizing, the faint blue glow in her eyes. Calm, yet distinctly filled with bloodlust.

Elsa whipped her hand out and Hans was once again too slow. Ice cut into him before he could materialize into shadows, and dark blood spilled from his upper arm. He shrieked in pain and lashed out reflexively; Elsa dispelled the shadows without a thought and continued her assault, unleashing devastating blast after blasts of ice. Hans dodged her attacks, but barely so. Elsa was getting close, explosive jets of cold air propelling her forwards towards him.

Elsa moved her arms in a circle, her entire body twisting in tandem with the motion, summoning a giant avalanche of snow that rushed forward and threatened to bury Hans. With no escape route, he took the form of his shadows, and retreated to the skies.

Once in the air, Hans snapped his arm out. Fire leapt into existence. An enormous wave of dark flames surged at her, large enough to dwarf her completely. Elsa stamped her foot, ice rippled under her feet, pushing her towards his fleeing form. She leapt upwards. She lashed an arm out, and an arc of white light pierced into the flames, parting it effortlessly. Two halves of purple fire passed her, and she raced towards Hans before he could hope to move.

With a flick of her wrist, a bolt of ice shot from her fingertips. Her aim was true, colliding directly into the shadowy mass with terrifying impact, and exploding into a blast of frigid cold. Hans fell from the sky.

He rolled on the ground and only stopped when he hit the edge of a boulder with his back, feeling his breath knocked away. He coughed, spitting out a dark mixture of blood and bile.

He looked up and saw Elsa descending towards him from above, not slowing down in the slightest.

Only in this moment, did he begin to panic. He had underestimated her dearly. He knew very well that Elsa's powers were fueled by her emotion, but never would he have expected a power up to this scale. He had pushed her too far. She was relentless, the absolute incarnation of a monster.

He wouldn't be able to escape at this rate.

Elsa prepared to let loose another torrent of ice.

Making a strangled noise, Hans stumbled backwards, swinging mindlessly to dispel a blast of shadows.

Elsa reached out, and caught the blast with her bare hand. She withstood the impact without budging an inch, without even needing to brace herself, and the originally vast wave collapsed into itself until it had shrunk to little more than a handful. Shadows pulsed and writhed within her grasp, but the absolute cold she radiated spread throughout the black mass, frost racing up the shadows until it froze over. Elsa crushed the jagged shard and the pieces crumbled to the ground.

Without a second of delay, she was launching herself forward again at tremendous speed.

This time, intent for the kill.

Hans's heart stopped.

He had been overzealous, and this was the repercussion that he would now face.

He had no other choice.

Seconds away from Elsa reaching him, magic ready to be dispelled from her hands, Hans opened the portal to his makeshift prison.

And from in front of him, appeared Anna, wrists and ankles still restrained by his shadows, but no longer trapped in Hans's hidden cage.

The faint blue light immediately left her eyes as Elsa found herself frozen in her tracks, instantly halting her attack.

"Anna…?" She whispered in disbelief.

The redhead appeared equally confused.

Hans flew at Anna, grabbing her around the middle and holding a blade of shadow to her throat.

"Anna!" Elsa cried, "Let her go, Hans!"

"Back to the basics aren't we?" He laughed softly, but his amusement quickly fell away. "I underestimated you, Elsa, so you'll have to forgive me for doing this."

Anna cried out in pain as the knife was pushed deeper into her neck, a trickle of blood marring her freckled skin. Elsa lurched towards her, but Hans gave her a stern glare.

"Ah ah," he chastised. "You know what I want."

Elsa gritted her teeth.

Anna's voice came loud and desperate. "Elsa, no! Don't listen to anything he says!"

"Shut up!" Hans barked. "Another word and I'll end you."

Elsa felt the fight leave her entirely.

With Anna's life in his hands, Elsa was helpless. Hans had truly reverted to his cowardly ways.

She had no choice.

This was her crux.

She had to protect Anna.

"I surrender...just let Anna go..."

She turned her glazed eyes to her sister. Anna was crying.

"Elsa! Please don't give up! Don't let him do this!" She pleaded.

Hans grinned, his pompous air of control finally returning..

"Hands out." He ordered.

Elsa did as she was told, and without a second of delay Hans conjured manacles out of shadows, and they shut tightly around the entirety of her hands, constraining any chance of magic being dispelled.

Finally letting go of Anna, Hans stood and approached the blonde menacingly. He kicked her in the jaw, nearly breaking it. She fell to the side and grunted in pain. "That's for making this so difficult." He crouched in front of her, "That display was admirable, Elsa," Sighing, he stood up again. "But you should've known that this result was inevitable."

Elsa spat blood onto his boots. "Take me and leave Anna alone. You have what you want."

"Yes." He said. The humour in his tone had vanished. "I have been waiting a long time for this moment."

Hans conjured another portal, and from the shadows emerged a strange looking artifact. A black polyhedron, the size of a human heart, four of its five sides etched with glowing hieroglyphics, humming with untapped power.

Elsa narrowed her eyes. "What are you doing…?" She asked uneasily.

Hans stared at her for a long moment.

"I'm sorry to inform you that your allegiance isn't what I'm after."

"The Relic of Necromancy," he continued, "Long ago it was said to be a catalyst to a level of ungodly power, but its completion was never attained."

He turned away.

"Today, I will rewrite history."

"Fire."

"Water."

"Wind."

"Earth."

"And now you."

The relic began to shake, edges moving outward until light seeped from the top of the artifact. In the next moment, multiple dark tendrils shot out and snaked towards her menacingly.

It plunged into her chest and Elsa cried out in pain.

" _ELSA!_ " Anna screamed.

She could feel the shadows working their way through her body, and her mind began to slip. The pain was blinding. It pierced through her chest and reached for her heart, seizing her very being with its ephemeral touch.

Memories of the past flashed in her mind.

Her first moment with Anna as an infant, calming her cries with her snowflakes.

All the nights spent building snowmen together in the ballroom.

The joys and laughs of the townsfolk as she skated with Anna in the ice rink at the courtyard of the castle.

Such blessed moments, fading away into emptiness.

Then, nothing.

It was gone.

The dark tendrils left her body and returned to the relic. Elsa was too broken to speak. Curled into a fetal position, shaking with terrible tremors as the last ties of her magic was stolen from her, leaving her in the corpse that she was.

A bright, blinding glow burst from the relic, and Hans flattened out his palm. The once dark artifact, was now shimmering with light, and began floating inches above the tips of his fingers and started humming, softly at first, but then picking up intensity at an alarming rate. The golden glow bathed Hans's face, and his eyes blazed with greed.

Slowly, Hans lifted up into the air, a maniacal grin plastered on his face. A small quake shook the throne room, and tendrils of light wound their way around his limbs, outlining him in a fierce, ebullient glow.

" _Yes!"_ he declared, his eyes wild. "At last! I am _reborn!"_

Wind whipped around the room in a maddening frenzy as the glow intensified. A figure crawled in front of Elsa, warm, tearful eyes meeting her own.

"Anna…"

"I'm so sorry, Elsa..."

Hans's eyes became fonts of golden beams, and all the walls reflected the light in such a brilliant display that both of them had to shut their eyes. It grew brighter, and brighter, until…

A shockwave burst through the room.

The light faded, and nothing remained.

Only darkness.


	16. Imprisoned

"We're close."

Word was that Arendelle had fallen into the hands of the enemy. The royals sisters, captured, presumably dead, and the city under the subjugation now of the Southern Isles.

Nobody could have seen it coming, or rather no one believed a feat of such could have been possible with the queen of the fjord serving at the mantle of the kingdom's defense.

King Vidar of Sogn knew otherwise, privy to first hand experience. Elsa had come to their aid when they had been attacked by Weselton, but in doing so, the Southern Isles had taken the opportunity to attack a defenseless Arendelle. Elsa's hand had been forced into submission, and her act of virtue to help an allied kingdom was what had ultimately led to her kingdom's downfall.

How her hand had been forced specifically, that remained unknown. But being the beneficiary of Elsa's selfless deed, only one point of action was available to Sogn now; to return the graciousness of Arendelle in kind.

Communication was quickly sent out to Findara, their closest regional ally. The response was immediate and their respective armies and navies had been consolidated to execute a siege to retake Arendelle.

Today marked the day of the retake.

Their fleets were massive, sailing imposingly through the fjord at quick pace. Whatever human force that dared to stand before them would be met by the union of the strongest navy and the strongest army of the northern region.

Whatever _human_ force.

"Who is that?" asked Jorg, the commander of the Findara navy.

Beside him, King Vidar had no answer.

They had just circled around the final passway, and the city of Arendelle came into view in the distance. From the helm of the leading ship, he peered through a spyglass and saw a lone man standing at the edge of the pier with _no reinforcements._ That was the first thing to catch his attention. Surely the enemy would have prepared at least some form of defense for a siege through the main port.

Their ships entered the bay and began it's advance. The city dwarfed the sole figure that stood defenselessly at the pier, practically mocking them of their preparation.

"It's Hans," Vidar said. Both he and the commander looked on with breathless anticipation, confused and anxious about this unexpected turn of events. Here the leader of the enemy was, baring himself vulnerable to their attack.

Hans stepped off of the pier, and to their imminent shock, began floating in the air above the surface of the water to approach them. He dressed nothing like any warrior or soldier, clad completely in royal attire.

"Be on your guard. We have no idea what he will do." Vidar said, sounding more anxious than Jorg had ever heard from the normally steadfast king.

It did not bode well. If they had not come so far already, he might have retreated for the time being; but the enemy stood just before them, and their objective was so close now that it would have been a disservice to the brave men and women who followed him. Momentum was theirs, and morale was high.

"But still," Jorg muttered, unnerved by the strange sight and not knowing why, half trying to convince himself that all was still well, "What is one person going to do, right?"

He found out when Hans raised his arms to the sky and summoned death.

Though the commander immediately sounded for the alarms, nothing could be done to stop the immediate onslaught that struck. Out of a clear blue sky erupted darkness that blocked out the sun itself, shadows all shaped like miniature spears and falling with unnatural speed as though launched downward. Dark tendrils emerged from the surface of the water and rooted the ships in place.

"Fire!"

At the king's command, archers fired from the decks and from the gunports, cannons shot shells at Hans, but he remained standing above the surface calmly with arms outstretched. A giant barrier of shadows spiked from the depths and neatly repelled every single arrow, resisted the impact of cannonfire. As soon as the barrage ended, the wall fell. Vidar could catch the small pull at the corner of Hans's lips.

The shadowy spears rained down from the heavens and impaled a thousand men, tearing apart the boats' foundations in the process, like divine punishment from the gods.

With the ships being rooted in place and unable to retreat, the end was inevitable. Wood tore in all directions, screams and cries of agony rang out as crew members dove into ice cold waters to avoid the spears from above, only to find themselves impaled regardless. Within minutes, the entire fleet had been cleared of its soldiers; every ship torn to shreds, and bodies littering the wreckage. The water painted itself in a deep shade of red.

It was an utter defeat.

Hans laughed maniacally in the distance, engrossed in the results of his enhanced powers.

There was no one in the world that could stop him now.

Any hope for the retake remained scant, lying solely with a small surviving rowboat hidden between the wreckage, slithering towards the outskirts of Arendelle.

* * *

Anna awoke slowly but surely, the right side of her face resting uncomfortably against the stone floor. She blinked, and took in her surroundings. She was still in her same clothes, minus her cloak, and though her wrists and ankles were no longer restrained by Hans's powers, they were instead replaced by traditional metal manacles, somehow making the experience more painful for the skin underneath.

The remaining tendrils of sleep eventually wore away, and slowly the recollection and realization of her position returned to her, feelings of helplessness and worry, both making its way back. She was cold. Freezing. Which was no surprise. There was a window at the top of the back wall of her cell, and through it she could see glimpses of dark clouds and the fall of snow that accompanied it.

It must've been days since she had been trapped down here, her eyes already well adjusted to the little light that periodically creeped its way through the little crevices in the walls and spaces of the cell door. The lack of space was suffocating, and it didn't help knowing that the cell that she was confined in was that of her own castle's dungeons.

Reality was, time had passed. That was for sure. She was cold. Tired. And famished. But more so than just her physical state, was the fact that she was completely oblivious to anything that was happening outside of the castle walls, and oblivious to what Hans's was doing to her kingdom.

Elsa.

She didn't know where she was being held.

And worse, she didn't know if she was still alive.

What if…?

The thought alone made her nauseous.

Anna was pulled out of her thoughts from the sound of approaching footsteps, each clack resounding through the stone halls like an approaching march. Her cell door opened and a man walked in.

It was Hans.

"Hello, Anna."

Anna narrowed her eyes vehemently. "Hans."

"I'm sorry for the arrangements," he said, not sounding apologetic in the slightest. "It must be rough down here in your own dungeons when you've gotten used to the comfort of royalty."

"What do you want?" She growled.

"Oh come now, is it that hard to believe that I simply came down here to pay you a visit?" He said with a placid smile. "I figured you were getting lonely and needed someone to talk to."

Anna grit her teeth in anger. "I'd rather die than have to be in your presence any more than I have to."

"How honest. It seems that your wish will be granted then at least."

Anna narrowed her eyes. "W-what do you mean?"

Hans walked past her and stood facing the wall, back towards her.

"A public execution." He answered. " A pity. I was hoping to keep you alive a while longer, but your people are proving to be quite the annoyance with their constant acts of rebellion. Once we present your head to them, I'm sure the little hope they have left will be all but squelched."

"Our people aren't nearly as weak-willed as you." She bit out. "You're a fool if you think that'll be enough to stop them."

Hans rolled his eyes. "Ah yes, how silly of me to have forgotten the little respect that you have gained as a ruler. I suppose your death won't mean too much to them, but I forgot to mention…"

He turned, facing her.

"I'll be executing Elsa as well."

Anna's heart froze. "No! You can't!"

Hans laughed. "Wrapped around each other's fingers. You two are too easy to manipulate. Like two lovesick puppies." He said sweetly. "There are very little things that I can't do, Anna, and ending your sister's life is far from it."

"You're a monster…" she whispered.

"A monster?" He chuckled. "Perhaps. But such is the path for those who seek to change the world."

Hans kneeled down, face inches away from hers.

"Let me tell you a little secret, Anna. The world is a cruel place, and your morals mean nothing. Nothing. You look at me and think that I'm evil. You tell yourself that you'll never be like me, but deep down you know; everyone is the same. We all want a place for ourselves, and whether we like it or not, we'll always be compared to those around us. The strong live. The weak die. That's the way it works. There's only one way we can stay at the top, and that's to win. Nothing else matters."

"No," Anna fixed Hans with a resolute stare. "You're wrong."

Hans scowled. " Love? Is that your argument? You think that will save you?"

"It did, it protected us before. You would know." Anna said knowingly. She smirked in satisfaction at the look of irritation that appeared on the man's features, a small victory considering what little she had to work with.

"Yes, I suppose that explains where you are now, doesn't it? Trapped in your own dungeons. Your kingdom lost and in the hands of the enemy. All your efforts to protect each other, and now the fate of your lives rests in my palm. Love must have really worked well for you there."

Anna glared hatefully.

"All that matters is power." Hans continued. "Without power, we are nothing. Without power, how can you even begin to enjoy something as trivial as love? Look at Elsa for example, once upon a time she had powers. Then she lost them, and for that she now gets to die."

"Don't you dare speak like you know her." She seethed. "You know nothing about Elsa."

"Ah yes, because you know so much about me don't you?"

Anna said nothing to that.

He looked off to the side, expression changing to something akin to woe, to Anna it almost seemed regretful. "You want to know what love is, Anna? Well I'll tell you."

"Once there was a young boy born with everything and nothing. A bastard born into royalty. A misfit amongst twelve sons. A young prince who was viewed as nothing but a stain. He was ridiculed, mocked, and abused. Even the child's mother, the only person he had to turn to, gave up and ended her own life, leaving him alone to fend for himself. The child, tired of the suffering, packed up and went off to find an identity of his own. Only he had failed. The child returned as a criminal with nothing at that point but a death wish, but wouldn't you believe it, the king left him alive to suffer the reality of his failure. Because executing him would've just been too kind."

"All his life, the boy simply wanted a place to belong. So tell me, Anna. Was it the boy's fault for not trusting in others enough? Was it his fault that he ended up a bastard? Love...love...All he ever seeked for was love, so you tell me why. Why was it I, the one who had nothing, that lost everything."

Anna couldn't help but gape, speechless.

"I-"

Hans leaned in closer and, for a mere moment, his look became earnest. "It isn't too late, Anna. You don't need to die for this. You're different and you know it. I know you agree with me. I'm willing to give you a second chance, on one condition..."

His eyes hardened. "Give up on Elsa."

All at once, the anger returned to her as she growled. She would never, ever betray Elsa.

Never.

"Go to hell." She spat.

Before Anna could react, Hans lashed out with viscious speed and punched her in the jaw, her head falling to the ground painfully. His eyes blazed with contempt. "I'll show you just how little love will do for you in this rotten world. Savor your last moments in ignorance."

He spat on her, walking over to the door. "You are to be executed tomorrow at dawn. I'll be sure for Elsa to see it first hand. Then she'll be next." He stepped into the door threshold.

Anna stared helplessly at his back, an odd, hopeless anger filling her. She glowered up at him, trembling. "I won't let you get away with this," she hissed.

"Oh, Anna," said Hans, turning slightly in the door frame. He barely smiled. "I already have."

The door closed and all was dark once more.

Anna slumped against the wall opposite the door, beneath the dark window, and stared unseeing at the orange glow coming through the barred door light. Minutes passed, her cheek still throbbing from the previous blow, and the urgency of her time left instilling fear that she desperately wished would go away.

"Elsa?" She called out, hoping that the older girl was close enough in the dungeons for her to hear her, but just like her previous attempts, silence was the only response that returned.

She sniffed and pulled her knees up to her face, and cried silently.

* * *

Elsa was dying.

Or was she already dead?

How much time had passed in the dark, stale air of the cell was by all accounts impossible to tell. She lay in silence, not a muscle in her body willing enough to observe movement.

She was powerless now.

Everything felt completely and utterly wrong. Elsa had always possessed her powers. She had never known life without the humming glow that resided within her. Until now, now that the gaping hole where her magic had once resided had left behind a void that could never be filled. Never in her life had she ever felt so weak. She felt blind and deaf without her powers, worse than useless.

And she was so cold.

She wanted to coil up, to stop thinking. And rather than think about her dying, she thought about all the ways she had failed – herself, the kingdom, and Anna. What a fool she had been. She ought to have listened to Anna from the start, _believed in her_ from the start – rather than to have relied on herself. She wasn't strong. She ought to have brought Anna, listened to Pabbie and kept her close. She shouldn't have left her alone. Ever.

She really was a hypocrite down to her very core. Always yearning for the love and acceptance from those around her, yet never opening up honestly. Hiding. Never seeking. The back of her neck crawled as she thought about it. Blocks in her mind, preventing her from seeing the truth…what if Anna had finally given up on her...and…? No, she wouldn't – but _what if…?_

_She wouldn't._

But what if she would?

_Would you?_

Elsa was taken aback by that. She gasped lightly. "Of course not," she said aloud. Her voice was swallowed by the chamber walls.

_Why not?_

"Because I love her."

_Do you?_

Did she?

"I..."

_Think about it. Why do you love her?_

Why? Why indeed. Love. What was that? She knew she loved her. She was _certain_ she did.

So why?

"Her voice," said Elsa thickly. "It's so beautiful. So kind and sweet, and...caring. But there's strength in it, too, like she always believes in what she's saying. I always loved hearing her speak, even when she rambles. Especially when she rambles. And she's really sweet, and her eyes are so pretty, and her hair, and…and she looks amazing in a dress, and…"

_These are reasons to love someone?_

"Well, no," said Elsa defensively, blinking in confusion. "Not by themselves, I suppose…"

 _Then why?_ _Why is she so important to you?_

Elsa stared at the black. "Because she would never leave me."

_But you left her._

"I..." said Elsa slowly. "But I…I didn't want to. I know I would never leave her without a reason. You weren't there, you didn't see the way she acted when some of our citizens were spreading bad rumors about me. You didn't see the fire in her eyes all the times I was in danger...so determined to protect me. It scares me just how selfless she is. And it scares me just how willing she is… to sacrifice herself for me. You wouldn't understand."

Elsa's words disappeared into the void and all was still for long moments before the reply came, small and careful. _I was there,_ said the voice.

For the first time, Elsa realized she had been speaking to herself. She looked around, and it was the first time she noticed that she wasn't in her jail cell anymore. It was pitch dark all around her, still she strove to see. "Who's there?" she asked, slightly panicked. "Show yourself!"

Then, strangely, a light appeared. Elsa narrowed her eyes and peered, but she could not quite see where it was coming from. A simple gray glow was illuminating the ground around her. Then, suddenly, she saw in front of her, a faint glow.

It continued to glow for several seconds more, before it bloomed in a flash.

And then, he appeared, swathed in a thin, pale light.

Her heart leapt into her throat.

A man, in his thirties or so, with short, auburn hair, all translucent in the dim, odd glow. He seemed shorter than she remembered, but then again, not seeing someone for six years would certainly hamper her judgement.

"Hello, Elsa," said the apparition.

Elsa's heart rate was rapid. "P-papa?"

Agnarr gave a sad smile. "Not quite," he replied. "I am merely an aspect of your memory. The aspect that sits outside of your grip of reality."

"Oh…"

Elsa wasn't sure why this was so upsetting to hear, but at once she felt like she should say something deprecating. "I failed…didn't I?"

A pause. "It's not my place to say."

"Has it ever been?" She said bitterly.

Agnarr said nothing to that.

"Why did you leave me?" She whispered heartbreakingly. "Why did you leave Anna?"

Again there was no answer.

"Why did you _leave_ her! She _needed_ you!" She suddenly yelled, her frustration taking the better of her. "I can't protect her anymore! You were supposed to be there for her! I can't protect her alone!"

Suddenly, she was heaving with sobs.

"I can't do this...alone. I'm weak...all I ever do is hurt the people I care about…Anna...even you…and mama…I'm always the reason…"

"It's _all my fault_." She choked out harshly.

A minute of silence passed until Agnarr chuckled lightly. "Nothing is ever _all_ someone's fault," he said. "As many times as you have made mistakes, as many times as I have failed you, we can never fully blame one person. I should've placed more trust in you, Elsa."

"Why didn't you?"

Agnarr looked at her with the same sad smile. "Fear, perhaps. Ignorance. Weakness. When we don't understand something, we become afraid, and we let that fear take control. We become blind, failing to see what truly matters. I have many regrets, but my failure to you as a parent will always weigh heavily on me."

Elsa wasn't sure she understood, so she just gave a feeble sort of nod. Agnaar smiled another sad smile.

"Don't make the mistake as me won't you? There's so much more to you than you think. Anna knows that very much." He said.

Elsa was surprised to see Agnaar turn to leave. "Wait!" she shouted.

Agnaar turned back around. He lifted one eyebrow. "Yes?"

"What do you mean..." Elsa swallowed a quick-forming lump in her throat, "that there's more to me? What does Anna know?"

Agnarr stared at her, pondering, before smiling genuinely.

"It's not my place to say."

And with that, before Elsa could argue, he vanished, and her vision faded to black.

* * *

"Any last words, Your Majesty?"

Hans stood before her, blade bared against her neck. In the distance she saw Elsa being held down by guards, crying, begging for Hans to stop.

But he wouldn't stop.

And Elsa wouldn't stop crying.

The blade came and time seemed to slow.

But there was never enough time.

Her time had run out.

And with it…

The blade parted her head.

Anna's eyes shot open. Heart beating wildly, she shot up, startled awake by an abrupt sound. Turning her head towards the door, she took notice of the guard Hans had left outside her cell. He was unconscious, lying unmoving on the stone floor.

The sound of a key turning in a lock, and then a hand was on her face.

"Anna? Are you alright?"

It was Kristoff.

"Kristoff?" she croaked, looking into his kind face. "What-… how-"

"Later," he whispered. "We have to get you out of here."

Anna's mind was still clouded with fatigue. "We?" she muttered, as Kristoff rummaged through the guard's belongings, finding the key to her shackles in one of his pockets. He quickly released her from her restraints.

"Can you walk?" He asked, ignoring her question. Anna tried putting her weight on one leg, then the other. When she didn't collapse, she nodded. "Good," he said, leading her out of the cell, and quickly steering them in the direction of the other cells. "Where's Elsa?" He asked.

"I-...I'm not sure." She admitted.

"I have her."

It was Kai, who rounded the corner to meet them. In his arms he was carrying an unconscious Elsa, limp, and looking more pale than what was natural for her. Never in her life had she seen her sister appear so broken...so frail.

"Elsa…" She whispered.

"We need to leave." Kai said urgently, and Kristoff nodded in agreement.

Anna concentrated on keeping up with their large strides as they led them to the heavy door that served as the dungeon's entrance. It was already ajar, and two southern isle guards lay awkwardly on the stone floor, blood seeping from the stab wounds in their backs.

Waiting outside the entrance were two men that she didn't recognize, but now was not the time for formalities. The urgency in their eyes showed that they were obviously as intent on rescuing them as Kristoff and Kai were.

They entered another corridor, footsteps echoing against the stone tiles. They rushed down its length before Kai put a hand up to stop them, creeping close to the door at its end and pressing his ear against it.

Whatever he was listening for, he seemed to find. Pushing the door open, he ushered them out into the hall by the dining room before leading them into the kitchens. Anna realized that he was taking them through the secret passage that led to the castle gardens. It was information that was only available to servant headmasters in the case of an emergency.

The path as expected was clear of any guards, and they made it through the gardens undetected. It took Anna several moments to notice the sky was dark. How long had they been imprisoned?

The small group silently headed for the tree line, ducking between the trunks until they reached a clearing, where three horses awaited them. Anna was tired, but conscious enough so she let Kristoff hoist her up onto one of them, watching as Kai climbed onto the other, still holding Elsa to his chest like she were made of glass. Kristoff mounted the horse behind her, pinning his arms against her waist to keep her steady as he grabbed the reins. With a flick of his wrist the horse surged away from the castle, galloping towards the mountains.

As they rode into the forest outside of the castle walls, there was a brief opening in the treeline where the view of the castle town was visible. The sight that awaited made Anna sick to her stomach.

From where they were, watching houses catch fire, and rebels being hunted mercilessly by Hans's soldiers, a deep sorrow tore at Anna's soul like a gaping wound. Their beloved land of good-will and refined culture was more than under siege. Nothing was more obvious than it was now, under the terrified shouts and cries of wounded and dying citizens.

Anna was crying, her sobs muffled against her hands. Her tears seemed endless.

Arendelle was falling.

Arendelle had fallen.

They soon exited the clearing and Anna watched as the forest sped past, becoming a green blur as her eyes lost focus. The physical and emotional torment of their situation caught up with her quickly, and for the second time in less than a day, Anna passed out.


	17. Awaken

Bright light was shining through her eyelids. She squeezed them tighter. Her body hurt, that she was acutely aware of. Everything protested as she began to move. She groped out tentatively, and her hands brushed a coarse but soft fabric.

'Blanket' her brain supplied in her foggy state.

Two voices were talking in hushed whispers within her proximity.

"Ugh." She moaned. The voices quieted. She blinked slowly, opening her eyes. Sunlight was filtering through the ajar flap of a tent.

"Your Majesty." A voice rang out clearly. Anna blinked tiredly, eyes looking at Kai as he knelt over her on what seemed to be a makeshift mattress made of moss and other grass-like material. She pulled herself up onto her elbows. He reached out quickly to help her sit up. She hissed at the soreness in her wrists, no doubt from the metal cuffs when she and Elsa had been imprisoned.

_Elsa._

"What happened?" Anna asked urgently. Her memory was fuzzy, only left with a vague recollection of being rescued from the castle dungeons. The head servant tensed up, looking unsure of what to say until he was saved by a deep voice.

"Anna."

Her attention shifted to the direction of the second voice, and she was immediately shocked at who she saw.

"Mattias…?" She uttered disbelievingly. "But I thought-"

"Elsa was able to save me." Mattias answered, looking more alive then she had ever seen him before. He came close and knelt down next to her. "Kai and Kristoff rescued you from the dungeons, and we're now taking refuge in the valley of the living rock. Hans won't be able to find us here. It's a location that was only known to a selected few appointed by your father. We will stay here for the time being."

Anna narrowed her eyes. The information should have been comforting news, if only Mattias wasn't dodging a certain topic.

"Where's Elsa?" She asked. He grimaced, eyes turning to the floor. Anna pulled herself shakily from the bed. She stumbled but brushed away Kai's hands as he tried to help her. "Where. Is. Elsa?" Her hands clasped tightly to each other across her chest, willing the pounding in her chest to slow.

Suddenly, the flap of the tent opened, and a familiar troll stepped in.

"Elsa is alive." Pabbie assured her, but his expression quickly turned grim. "However, her magic has been sealed away, and I fear that her body has taken a drastic toll with it. I am not sure if she will awake, Anna. I have tried everything to stir her."

"What?" Anna trembled as she shook her head in denial. "Are you sure her body's not just resting?"

Pabbie shook his head. "If it were, I would be able to still sense her consciousness…" Ominously, he looked at her with worry. "I think her mind may be trapped."

* * *

_She had to keep running. She needed to be away from here._

_As her feet traversed the frozen surface of the fjord and the last rays of sunlight disappeared behind the dark clouds above, the winds began to pick up pace._

_Behind her, commotion could be heard from the broken walls of the Arendelle castle dungeons. The cold winds intensified, mingling with the heavy snowfall, a mirror to her emotional state. The entire harbor swirled with ominous cold malice, and gradually the shouts of the guards deafened behind the roar of the snowstorm._

_Elsa pressed on, glancing back periodically to ensure that no one was following her._

" _I know we can figure this out together!"_

" _How?! What power do you have to stop this winter? To stop me?"_

" _No. I'm not leaving without you, Elsa."_

_Her last conversation with Anna at the ice palace rang out in repetition in her mind._

_She didn't know where she was running to._

_She had nowhere to go._

_And even if she did know, she had no way of telling anymore._

_The little control that she had over her powers had finally run out, as the fear inside her heart overwhelmed and consumed her._

* * *

Anna had lost all sense of time. She didn't even realize that two days had gone by until Kai had commented on her ignored meals. Two days. It had been two days. Two days since she had first awoken in the valley. Two days since she had learned that Elsa was lost in a state of prolonged unconsciousness. Not a minute passed where she wasn't at her sister's side.

The circumstances weren't changing. Arendelle was still under Hans's control. And Elsa wasn't waking up. The only thing that seemed to change was the growing fear welling inside of her, the possibility of never seeing Elsa's eyes open again.

"Anna."

Kristoff was standing behind her with a bowl of porridge offered in his hands. He was concerned. Anna was refusing to eat, and he was sure her level of rest was taking its toll too, if the dark bags beneath her eyes were any indication. It reminded him of the days when the two had been separated after the events of the enchanted forest, except the situation now seemed much more dire.

Anna must have not heard him, her hands idly fiddling with the blonde locks of Elsa's hair, her tired eyes lost in thought. She was a shell of herself now, Kristoff reflected, posture slouched, with not an outward trace of the bubbly, fierce girl she was known to be. It was as if her happiness was solely dependent on Elsa's livelihood, and to that Kristoff was not surprised in the slightest.

At length, Kristoff took a deep breath. "You need to eat, Anna." His gaze met Anna's, weary. "You haven't eaten for days."

Anna turned back, slowly, trying to stifle Kristoff's concern. "I'm not hungry."

"You might not feel hungry, but your body needs it." When Anna didn't respond, Kristoff breathed a heavy sigh. He placed the bowl next to her. "At least promise me that you'll get some rest."

Anna didn't appear to answer, but eventually she nodded, giving Kristoff a light form of reprieve before he left the tent. Once again alone, Anna went back to grasping Elsa's hand, caressing it, memorizing the touch of her skin, hoping that the sensation would perhaps yield a different result this time around. But once again, Elsa remained silent. Breathing steadily, the only hint that there was any life left in the blonde.

"Elsa…"

* * *

_She was struggling to trudge through the blinding snowfall, her hair was all of sorts, whipping around viciously against the turbulent winds. In the mess of her braid and loose hair, painful tears were beginning to fall._

_Onward, her entire being screamed. Ever onward._

_But she kept a slower pace than the urgency in her mind. She had to keep up, but it was nearly impossible to see what was in front of her._

_Every so often, she'd turn back too, look back towards the castle with an indecipherable expression that could have been grief, regret or shame, or all of those. In the heavy snow, the spires of the castle were barely visible, as much as the terrain before her was. Would the ghosts of her parents haunt her forever? For leaving the kingdom behind? Elsa shuddered at the thought and turned away._

_As she painstakingly made her way over the ice of the fjord, Elsa's mind kept circling, ruminating. Where could she go now? What ways remained open? It seemed like every door had shut in her face, ironic, every window shuttered before she could even locate them. But there had to be a way forward while she still drew breath― surely― surely there was a way forward…_

_Anna._

_Was there really any way?_

_Now that she had left everything behind…?_

_But she couldn't stop. There was no place for her to hide, no shelter she could find in the storm._

_She continued, drained, to follow wherever her feet led her. On eyes made heavy from the piercing wind, similar to the weight of her guilt._

_There was no telling how long she walked, nor how well she was progressing. Every step felt like an ordeal, everything around her looked the same; white._

_In the cold, Elsa felt her heart grow and shrink with every pulse. She wanted to cry, she wanted to surrender. She wanted her mother to hold her close. She wanted her father to give her words of comfort._

_She wanted Anna. By her side. More than anything._

_But even that was out of reach._

_She had no choice to leave Anna behind._

_But things would be okay. Anna would be okay. Away from her. Away from the dangers of her powers. Away from her cowardice. Nothing could hurt her anymore._

_Right?_

_From her peripherals a dark shadow emerged from behind her causing her to gasp in surprise. It was Hans. She turned to run._

" _Elsa. You can't run from this!"_

_Run? What else could she do? She had no choice. It was the best for everyone._

_She turned, and backed away from him, looking desperate. "Just take care of my sister." She pleaded. Hans's expression morphed to one of anger._

" _Your sister? She returned from the mountain weak and cold. She said you froze her heart."_

_The words forced her still._

" _What?" She exclaimed with wide eyes. "No."_

" _I tried to save her, but it was too late. Her skin was ice. Her hair turned white…"_

_Her face visibly sunk as she realized what she had done. Her mistake. Her failure._

" _Your sister is dead...because of you."_

* * *

Night fell, and Anna had eventually succumbed to her tiredness.

Hours passed. She had been sleeping quietly.

Or at least she had been, until the nightmare.

From within the bower of her mind, Anna trembled, feeling the fear pressing in, pushing in, trying to break her, whispering through the walls that _it_ would happen eventually, that it was only a matter of time.

Anna whimpered, weeping, feeling the hope leave her, seeping away, and she felt the warmth of the tears on her cheeks, felt the darkness closing in, felt the sweet promise of death beckoning, alluring.

Only the promise of death wasn't meant for her.

"Please," she wept, clinging aimlessly to what was around her. "Please..."

But it was too late, and the light leftElsa's eyes.

"Elsa!"

She gasped and shot up, the world shifting into focus.

She was clinging to Elsa, who was still unconscious, the fabric of the girl's dress crumpled in her fists. She was trembling, her whole body shaking like a leaf in autumn. Her breath came in quick shuddering gasps, as though suddenly the horror of her mind was finally catching up to her body.

"It was just a dream..." She tried assuring herself.

_Just a dream._

It was dark, but Anna could barely make out the gentle rise and fall of Elsa's chest. The only indication that all was still okay. The only lifeline and the only thread that held her sanity in place.

The silence around her was so achingly familiar that she felt her lip tremble.

Anything. A sign. A sign that things were changing. A sign that those eyes that she had fallen in love with would in fact open soon.

A sign that her dream really was just a nightmare, and not a presage.

With a wordless cry, she threw her arms around Elsa's neck, burying her face into her shoulder.

"Why? Why won't you wake up?" She cried.

She smelled like a mixture of mint and ivory, the scent that she had grown long accustomed to. The magic of it was a shock to her senses. Under her cheek and her ear, she felt Elsa's steady heartbeat.

"You're alive but..." she whispered brokenly into her hair, and now she could feel the tears rolling down her own cheeks. "But I need you to wake up...please."

She pleaded.

"You promised...remember? You promised you would come back to me."

Again.

"Come back to me Elsa…please..."

And again.

"I need you…"

* * *

_Elsa dropped to her knees, emotionally broken. The swirling storm suddenly stopped. The snow froze mid-air, hanging suspended, trapped in grief._

_The unsheathing of a sword rang out from behind her, no doubt from Hans. The blade cried out for her blood, and though her instincts told her to move, her heart and mind accepted this fate. She deserved it. All her life, she had wanted to protect Anna, but the younger girl's life had been taken away by her own hands. The irony of it all was almost comical._

_I'm sorry, Anna._

_She waited for the blade to come. Preparing herself for the gruesome end._

_But it didn't come._

_The next moments came like a blur. A figure threw itself between her and Hans's blade, blocking the incoming strike. A shockwave, and Elsa could hear a grunt escape Hans as he was thrown a distance back._

_A shimmer, a gleam, the silent whisper of ice._

_She turned and her eyes took in the reality that stood before her._

" _Anna!" Elsa screamed as she rushed to her sister's side, touching Anna's frozen face._

" _Oh, Anna...no...no, please no."_

_It couldn't be possible._

_She just didn't understand._

_How the world could be so cruel._

_The tears began flowing as it became clear what had just happened._

_In her final moments of freezing, Anna had given her life for her._

_Through her pain, and through her suffering, Anna had saved her, the very person who had killed her. The truth of it all broke her into a million pieces. She crumbled and embraced her frozen sister, crying out in anguish._

_She prayed. Prayed that the ice would thaw. Prayed that for once in her life that she could will herself to do something right. To save Anna._

_But nothing changed. The ice ceased to thaw._

_Anna was gone._

_Elsa felt that the air around her had stilled, moving only for her own shallow, tentative breathing._

_At her feet was Hans's sword which had been knocked from his grasp earlier._

_A blank field filled Elsa's mind. I'm a failure. I've killed. Everything and everyone she held dear was gone now. I have to end this. Yes. She almost felt as though she must. She had no choice. It made perfect sense._

_A world without Anna wasn't a world worth living in._

_She hoisted the sword up with both hands, the tip of the blade pointed directly towards her gut._

_Elsa didn't know what it was, but her arms moved on its own. She was lost now. Nothing mattered anymore._

_Like the snow around her adrift in stillness, time stilled all the same._

_She felt the hope leave her, seeping away, and she felt the warmth of the tears on her cheeks, felt the darkness closing in, felt the sweet promise of death beckoning, alluring._

_The promise of death meant for her. She willed the blade forward._

_But moments before the tip reached her skin, she heard a voice._

_Gentle._

' _ **Elsa.'**_

_The sword halted its path. Her arms froze._

_She focused numbly on the words. Slowly, Elsa's mind was overcome with images. The memory of her smiles, of her warm embrace. She could recall her devotion, her gentle touch, her infectious laughter._

_Her little sister; reckless but honest, the way her eyes crinkled with love._

_The tears were endless on her face. They flowed and flowed and flowed, her whole body quaking so hard she feared that her magic would enshroud the entire world in her grief._

_There were a hundred lonelinesses assaulting her. What words she had not said, what embraces she had not given ― what sacrifices she'd willingly give to unmake the past._

_It was too much to bear._

_The voice spoke again however, and the next words brought the storm inside of her to a pause._

' _ **You promised.'**_

_Promised?_

' _ **You promised you would come back to me.'**_

_Elsa's eyes went wide._

_The stillness was familiar. It was made of pain and loss, and yet it felt solid, like an anchor, forcing her away from her previous suicidal thoughts. It weighed within her like a ballast, heavy and unyielding, and it came to rest in that place she had refused to fill, that place where her love had once rested before loss had ripped it out of her. She had never wanted to touch it again, the hollow, the emptiness like a gaping wound that proved her sister had all once existed._

_Now the calm settled into that wound, filling it with a strange image, embraces and laughter, tears and fighting, raw and painful, yet quiet and true. Anna was there. Alive and well. Smiling at her, with a look that could only be described as tender. A gaze that warmed the frigidness inside of her._

_A future._

_A future with love._

_A future with Anna._

_She had promised her that._

' _ **I need you.'**_

_I need you too._

' _ **I love you.'**_

_I love you too, always._

' _ **Come back to me, Elsa.'**_

_The storm around her cleared, the ice thawed. She understood now. There was still something left to do._

_And with it, Elsa finally escaped the nightmare and awoke._

* * *

"Anna…?"

The way Elsa's eyes had fluttered open so unexpectedly, Anna could only stare dumbly. Doubt into realization. Never before had both surprise and relief flooded her in such a way as it did now.

In a moment of weakness, Anna flung herself into Elsa, and through the haze of relief she felt Elsa slowly but surely hug her back. She burst into a fresh wave of tears as she buried her face into the crook of Elsa's neck, her nails dug painfully into Elsa's back, holding her for dear life. Elsa wasn't sure why Anna was so distraught, but still she pressed herself into the soft auburn locks, wrapping her arms tighter around Anna's waist.

"What's wrong?" She asked weakly.

"I hate you."

"W-what?"

Anna glared at her through her tears. "Do you have any idea how long you've been asleep? I thought you were never going to wake up, you idiot!"

Elsa swallowed thickly. She had no idea. She had dreamt, that was for sure, but the last thing she had remembered was being held in the dungeons before falling into unconsciousness. But the dreams had felt so unnaturally vivid, that her sense of reality had been shattered. Her father, she remembered seeing him. And then on the fjord…

The voice.

It had been Anna.

Even in her dreams, Anna was always there to save her. And here the girl was now, worried out of her mind, waiting for her to awake.

"I'm sorry for scaring you."

Anna untangled herself and took a step back to look into her face, hands pressing gently against the blonde's cheeks, thumbs caressing the soft pale skin. "You're alive right?" She choked. "I'm not going crazy am I?"

Elsa smiled, pressing her hands over hers. "As alive as I've ever been." She reassured the trembling girl.

Anna again wrapped her arms around Elsa's neck, trying to get as much of the older girl as she could. She pulled back to stare into Elsa's eyes. "I'm so glad you're okay." She whispered.

Elsa pressed her forehead against Anna's staring back into teal eyes, rimmed red from crying.

"I'm not going anywhere."

And for now that was all that needed to be said. Elsa was alive.

Things were going to be okay.


	18. Worth

"My apologies, Your Majesty. We haven't been able to find them."

Through the panes of intricate glass, Hans stared impassively down at the voiceless streets of Arendelle from his position on the castle balcony. The guard who had reported the information to him, stood a distance behind, pensively, anxious at what reaction the unwelcoming news would have stirred from the despot.

After a long silence, Hans turned to him and the powerless henchman swallowed hard.

"I took away the powers of the only person who could have posed a threat to us. And all you have to show for are three dead guards and not a single trace of where she could have escaped."

"We've looked everywhere, sir..."

Hans's eyes narrowed piercingly, cold and supercilious.

"Then show me the body."

Desperation gripped the man as his eyes pleaded for mercy. "Your Majesty, if you could just give me a little more time th-"

A cut to the air, almost silent, invisible to the eye. Seconds passed, and the only change was the ominous slick of a head departing from its body followed by a resonant thump.

Hans sighed. "Useless. I have to do everything myself it seems. No matter."

There were other ways of getting information.

With a plan in mind, Hans smiled devilishly.

They would come. He had no doubt that they would. Because that was just the way they were.

Good rulers.

"Time for the hunt."

* * *

Wind whistled through the barren streets of the castle town. From the crack of a bakery window, a woman peaked cautiously and looked around. Everything was as it usually was, which is to say it was silent and dead. The housetops were covered in pale blankets of ice, and judging by the absence of light from each of the buildings, Halima could only assume that its residents were in a similar state of hiding as herself.

It was a precarious time as well. Nightfall. A crescent moon peeked out from a gap in the clouds, shedding its tender, silvery light all over land below. A complete contrast to the ambience of the what laid inside of the homes. As she knew, there were homes within the interior, and behind, at each corner of the perimeter now laid new structures. Crooked stone watchtowers ringed the castle town, looming over the area like bent, hungry hounds over a field of prey. But most significant of all was the Arendelle castle that sat at the end of the city: it was hardly the edifice of inspiration that it used to be. Still the same impressive fortress with thick walls of stone. Untouched. Unchanged. Only now, it was inhabited by evil. Halima could only shut her eyes mournfully.

So caught up in her lamenting, she barely had time to register it when she opened her eyes again. Something appeared an indeterminate distance away. It looked to be a person, or rather two. They seemed to be wearing hoods. The dark wrapped itself quickly around the figures. Under the circumstance that her eyes hadn't been already looking towards that exact direction, she would've most certainly have missed them. Nobody was ever out at this time of night, it was a surprise, a positive one if she had to admit, but it also gave her a crawling feeling of suspicion.

Then she noticed it. They were sprinting towards her direction. Furtively. It caused her heart to pound. She jerked away from the window and pulled back the curtains, praying that they weren't looking for more civilians to extract information from. They couldn't have seen her...surely…

Then a series of knocks, and her heart stopped entirely. The knocks itself weren't intrusive. They seemed almost silent. Regardless, she stood stone still.

The knocks came again, and this time she could tell.

They were...pleading.

Curiosity struck her, though fear still stood strong in her conscience. As a precaution, she reached for the broom she kept in the corner of the room. Slowly, she moved to the door.

And opened it.

It was as she saw earlier. Two hooded figures. She was unable to make out the identities underneath in the absence of light.

"Who are you? What do you want?" She demanded. "If you're here to ask me about the whereabouts of the queen, then like everyone else that you've harassed I don't know!"

Unexpectedly, one of them put out a hand to calm her. "Hey, hey, it's ok Halima." She perked up at the utterance of her name, and then the figures removed their hoods, and almost instantly her heart swelled in unexpected, uncontrollable relief.

The broom she had been holding fell to the floor, as she brought her hands up to contain her sobs.

Anna immediately rushed forward, and Halima did the same, bringing the redhead into a tight and warm embrace.

"You're okay…" Halima choked out.

Anna smiled and nodded against the older woman's shoulder. "We're okay."

They broke apart and Halima turned her attention to Elsa who was standing a few feet behind Anna. Elsa smiled politely and nodded her head in greeting.

"It's good to see you again, Hal-" Before she could finish, Elsa too was brought into a tight hug by the older woman.

"Oh stop it with the formalities." She chastised endearingly before directing the two inside. "Hurry and come on in."

Once the door was closed, Halima was swelling with relief again. "I'm so glad you two are alright."

Elsa and Anna looked at each other in unison and nodded.

"How did you two escape?"

Elsa recounted the story of her and Anna being rescued from the dungeons in the middle of the night, and now taking refuge in the Valley of the Living Rock. Halima's expression continuously eased throughout the retell.

"Well that's comforting news. We were told that there was to be a public execution to be held, but it never came to be. Word was the two of you managed the escape." Elsa nodded, and Anna came forward and asked the question on her mind.

"H-how are things here?" Halima's face turned grim.

"It's chaos. Everyday the guards have ransacked our homes for supplies and have interrogated us for your whereabouts. Even when we try to stay quiet they still attempt to torture us for the information. They've tortured fathers in front of their own wives and children, hoping that they would crack…"

"But they don't know…" Elsa finished for her and Halima nodded.

Anna's eyes were wide with disbelief. "That's horrible…"

"Many have attempted to rebel. And once it was to be announced that you two would be executed, there was a large revolt to raid the castle. We tried to stop them from going through with it, but they were too stubborn. They attacked mid morning, but Hans was ready. The riot was stopped within minutes."

"Where are they now?" Anna asked.

"We don't know. The dungeons I would presume."

"Halima." Elsa said suddenly. "We need to get you out of here."

"What?"

"It's not safe for you to be here now that you've seen us."

"But...what about everyone else?"

"We'll come back for them." Elsa assured. "We plan on bringing as many people as we can to the valley until we figure out a way to stop Hans. But the surveillance around here is too high. We can only hope to bring a few at a time."

Halima looked unsure. Leaving people behind, even temporarily, made her uneasy. "What about your powers?" She asked hopefully. "I can spread the news about an escape, and we can all attempt to run at a time when the number of guards are less. Even if we were caught, wouldn't you be able to deal with their numbers?"

"Halima." Anna interrupted, her expression morphing to a disheartened state. "Elsa's powers...they're gone."

"Gone?" Halima repeated disbelievingly. "But-"

A scream pierced through the air outside of the bakery, and forced the three of them to go still. Elsa and Anna pulled over their hoods and ran out.

Moments ago the streets were empty, but now there were other people beginning to leave their houses and, heavily bundled, were walking in the direction of the town square. Anna shared a concerned glance with Elsa.

Something was happening.

A series of shouts followed the first scream, and by now, the commotion had drawn all the castle town residents from their hiding. They took a wide path down winding streets, giving the town square a considerable berth, until the throng of people coming out to see the commotion was equally considerable. They mixed in with the crowd and followed the mass as it filtered into the town square. It was ringed with guards in cloaks and chainmail, all of them holding long swords.

Directly behind them were four prisoners, four men being held down by more guards – hands bound and tied together, bruises and cuts marring their bodies. Anna immediately recognized the four as the group of fishermen that Elsa and herself had spent time with on their date weeks back. They must have been a part of the revolt that Halima had mentioned.

A woman was also lying on the ground in front, and Anna quickly surmised that the earlier scream must have come from her, the result of her being beaten in an attempt of protest. The very thought made her blood boil in heated rage.

But behind all of them came someone who made Anna's fiery state run cold.

Hans.

It was strange that he had decided to show himself. The man was always someone who preferred to work in the shadows. Malicious, but always deceptive.

The fact that he was a part of this...demonstration, it was almost as if he knew that herself and Elsa were there.

"People of Arendelle! I have come today to bless the lot of you with a magnificent show. Retribution to the wicked, for the four individuals you see before you have committed a heinous crime. What is this crime you ask?" Hans's grin matched the curve of the dark, twisted blade at his side.

" _Defying_ me."

Anna felt her arms shake from her barely restrained anger. The crowd had drawn to a tremendous scale. She could tell and feel the tension. They looked lost and confused, and she saw them muttering to each other in low voices at their side.

"Fortunately, I am a merciful man. As you know, your previous rulers have escaped from my grasp, and I desire them to be returned to where they belong. The dungeons. So I'm willing to offer these individuals one last chance for redemption." He looked towards the prisoners contemptuously. "I'm sure you are aware of the consequences if you choose to refuse."

The burliest of the four glared hatefully, but it was apparent that an amount of fear was being shared. "Like I've said already. We don't know."

It seemed that Hans wasn't particularly patient today as he lashed out violently with a kick, knocking the man to the ground painfully.

"I am well aware of what you've said previously, peasant." He spat. "I will ask you one more time. Where are they hiding?"

A stream of blood was dripping from the man's cut lip, but as he looked up once more, his eyes no longer held the fear that was once there. The only thing present was hate. Disgust. Defiance at it's very core.

"Go to hell."

It was a mere moment, but to Anna every detail of it played in her eyes with clear vividity. Hans slashed through the air, and the head of the man parted gruesomely from his body, blood staining the grounds of what used to be a peaceful and joyous area of festivity.

Screams rang out from the crowd, but Anna could hear none of it. Her heart pounded ferociously, and she could feel – really _feel_ – waves of fury seeping out of her skin. All the cold seemed to be gone. It wasn't the first time Hans had killed an innocent, but he had murdered someone that had simply been truthful, and as Anna looked at him, she despised him with such hatred as she had never felt before. A flurry of rage screamed through her. Through a haze of angry red, she focused on a sword hanging from the side of one of the guards. All she had to do was run and take it, and charge at Hans. All she needed was one swing. One swing to end it all. One chance for vengeance. And she would take that chance. She would-

A sensation brought her out of her urgent bloodthirst. Someone had grabbed her hand. The touch was soft, gentle, but also desperate.

Her eyes met Elsa's, and Anna found the desperation. The message was clear. A silent plea, and it caused Anna to be at a loss for words.

Elsa's eyes said it all.

_Please._

To Anna, the very thought to let go went against everything she believed in. Everything she stood for. But the distress in Elsa's eyes cut through her heart painfully. She couldn't go against it. She had never seen Elsa so afraid before.

So weak.

Anna bit her lip hard enough to draw blood, and after a few excruciating seconds, she shut her eyes tight as she turned away from the scene. She couldn't look back. She wouldn't be able to stop herself again if she did. The three of them pushed their way to the back of the crowd, which had begun to bustle chaotically at the bloody demonstration. The guards were yelling. Everyone was yelling.

"We need to leave." Elsa said, and Halima nodded in agreement. They broke away from the crowd, and maintained their pace to avoid suspicion.

Though Anna told herself to not do so, she spared herself one last glance. By then the distance had been made, and it was hard to make out anything through the dense crowd, but Anna swore she could see Hans's eyes, his gaze seemingly on their retreating figures.

And from the corner of his lips she could make out a smirk.

* * *

"We have reason to believe that Hans will attack Corona very soon."

Elsa found her focus on Mattias, Erik and Kai poring over a map. The tent they were in was small, but still spacious enough to serve as a meeting room. Not that they had many choices to begin with in their location of refuge.

Anna stood at the side, observing as well, but with not much liveliness that was characteristic of her. She had been quiet for the entire following day after returning to the valley. The two had not spoken a single word to each other. Not that Elsa was surprised. The events that had occurred in the castle town had affected the both of them.

"On what basis?" Erik inquired. Of the seven advisors of the board, he was one of the few who had been lucky enough to be away from the castle during its capture, and was now working together with the refugees to form a plan to retake the city.

"The activity of the soldiers." Mattias answered. "From what it appears, Hans's men are loading the ships with cannons and ammunition. Given that Corona is our closest regional ally, and of the few kingdoms that the southern isles had ceased trade with, it's only reasonable to assume that they would be his first target of conquest."

"Why would he need weapons and an army in the first place? Surely he would be able to overpower their forces without help?"

"Most likely it's to send a message. He wants the world to know that he has the ability to toy with any kingdom." Realizing his own words, Mattias warily shifted his glance to Anna. The redhead appeared to be lost in thought, not having much of a reaction towards his statement. He turned his attention back to the map before continuing. "I suspect he'll only take half his numbers. At the very least, we have a window to retake the city. It'll be difficult, given what little we have to work with, but having Hans out of the picture even temporarily, will tremendously help our ch-"

"It won't matter." All of the eyes in the tent shifted to the new voice, Jorg, the Findara navy commander. Him alongside King Vidar had been found by Kristoff stranded in the outskirts of the city, following the short lived battle in the harbor. The confidence that had been there prior to that day was long gone, now replaced with discernible trauma and defeat. "You didn't see what he did. That monster destroyed the entirety of our ships within seconds. Regardless of whether we retake the city or not in his absence, it won't matter."

The despondency in his voice was painfully expressive and completely changed the atmosphere of the meeting. Eyes fell to the floor in hesitance, many of them not willing to accept the man's words, though also somewhat in agreement with his sentiment.

Was there really a point?

A single voice rang out however, unwavering.

"It will matter." Anna now stood in front of Jorg at the center of attention, no longer ruminative at the side. "What matters is that we give our people a chance. A place to stand. If we refuse to do that then, only then, have we truly lost."

"What difference does it make?" Jorg replied petulantly. "We're all at his mercy. He'll kill us all eventually."

Anna's frown deepened. "There is a difference. Cowering away, waiting for your death. Or standing up for what is right. We have to believe that we can fix this. We have to have hope."

"Hope?" What began as a chuckle by Jorg transformed into successive laughs bordering on mania. "What hope is there? Queen Elsa no longer has her powers. That was our last hope. Without that she's nothing. Without her powers we're nothing! We won't stand a chance!"

In a blur, Anna had flung herself across to the room to grab the man by the collar and drag Jorg's terrified face close to eye level. Everybody went still at the tension present, especially towards the anger that was suddenly emanating from Anna.

"Don't you dare speak about Elsa that way."

Jorg swallowed hard. Her words hadn't been necessarily loud, but the articulation was there. Protectiveness. Devotion. Resentment. All wrapped into a single statement. He found himself unable to vocalize his thoughts clearly, suddenly much more afraid of the presence before him rather than the topic of conversation prior.

"Anna...Please, stop." Elsa reached out to grab Anna's arm, but before she could, the younger girl whirled around and knocked her hand to the side, causing her to flinch away.

"No! You stop!" Anna pointed a finger at her. "How can you let him say things like that about you, and just expect me to let it slide?"

Elsa couldn't meet Anna's heated gaze, but after a brief silence she answered. "Because he's right."

Disbelief. That was the state of Anna's eyes. Shock turned into confusion, followed by something that Elsa could only describe as disappointment. She let go of Jorg's collar, and backed away, apologizing quietly before turning and storming out of the tent. Elsa sprinted after to follow her, all the eyes in the tent eying her carefully as she made her way out.

"Anna!"

"Go away, Elsa!" Elsa felt her throat tighten as she could hear that Anna was crying though painfully trying to hold it in. She was trying to leave the valley, Elsa realized. Dashing forward she grabbed the younger girl before she could make it into the surrounding treeline.

"Please...just talk to me."

At her request, Anna whipped around, her eyes furious. The surrounding noise became still, and Anna's next words made Elsa do the same, her voice cold, and for the first time Elsa realized…

Resentful.

"Why didn't you let me save them?"

Immediately, Elsa knew what Anna was referring to, but she found herself unable to answer, stuck staring wide eyed at the younger girl.

"Anna…"

"Why?" Anna repeated.

The answer was obvious, and to Elsa it should've made perfect sense for her to believe so. But the look in Anna's eyes made her hesiste. Made her feel...ashamed.

Why indeed.

"Because you would've died."

Anna's eyes narrowed. "I can protect myself just fine."

"That's exactly what Hans would've wanted!" Elsa yelled. "He was trying to lure you out!"

"So then it's okay to just let our people die? People who stood up for us? People who stood up to Hans?"

_Of course not._

"Yes."

Anna balled her fists tightly. "Do you hear yourself right now?! How can you say that? Those people died for _us_!"

_I know._

"Do you have any idea how much it killed me to leave them there?" Anna continued. "To let them die?"

 _Stop it_.

"I could have stopped him!"

_Please stop..._

"I could have **saved** them!"

At that, something inside Elsa snapped. Like a crack in the ice, she fell through, and the words she desperately tried to hold in…

" **Save yourself first, you idiot!** "

...slipped out.

Anna's movement stopped, and the fight and fire from before left her eyes completely. The winds ceased its course, and the trees went still. The only thing left were the echo of Elsa's words, reverberating through the space between the two of them.

Anna had no retort, and a part of her knew that even if she did she wouldn't have spoken. Because for the first time in her life, Elsa had called her an 'idiot. Her sister, who never spoke ill about her, who always was kind, and always held back…

Let herself be truthful.

"Why…" Anna stiffened at Elsa's voice, not expecting herl to have spoken so soon. "Why are you so brave...?"

Almost immediately, Anna realized that Elsa was shaking, and instinctively she made her way closer to hold the older girl. At her touch, the tears bled into Elsa's voice, and the last protective barrier that stood inside her fell through.

"I can't protect you anymore, okay?" She choked out with a sob. "Without my powers...I can't do anything. I'm _useless_. All I can do now...is _this_. To stop you. To stop you from being... _you_. Because I know you'll always sacrifice yourself for others. That's who you are. It's the part I love the most about you. How much you care…"

She let out a shaky breath. "And it's the part that scares me the most. How little you care about yourself. It scares me more than anything." She looked up and met Anna's now soft gaze. "So even if it means you hating me. Even if it means that you'll stop talking to me...I won't stop."

Breaking eye contact, Elsa looked to the ground dejectedly.

"I'm sorry…"

Gently, Anna ran her hand through Elsa's hair.

"I don't hate you, and I never will. I love you more than anything. So don't say that about yourself…"

"Say what?"

"You're not useless."

Elsa laughed meekly. "It sure feels that way."

Anna shook her head resolutely. "You're more than just your powers."

The words were strangely familiar, as if someone had said this to her before. Like a distant dream, failing to be fully comprehended, she just couldn't remember where.

Regardless...

"But I can't stop him…" Elsa insisted. "My powers were our best chance… and even then I couldn't stop him."

"Then you'll find a different way."

"How…" She asked desperately. "How can you be so sure?"

"Because you're smart." Anna said with a sweet smile.

Warm.

That was her answer.

Something so simple. So pure.

That was Anna.

Elsa scoffed in what was a non-sarcastic manner. Just a gesture full of disbelief, and unworthiness.

"I don't deserve you."

Anna giggled. "Well you're stuck with me, so you don't have a choice."

Elsa smiled softly, before squeezing Anna's hand tightly.

"I can't lose you...you know that right?"

Anna's face turned apologetic. "I know...I'm sorry. I understand why you did what you did. I just...I didn't want them to die."

"Me too…" Elsa said melancholically.

Forgiveness. They would always find it within each other. No matter the circumstance. Bringing her sister's hands to her chest, Anna's eyes steered with confidence.

"You can fix this, Elsa. I _know_ you can."

Elsa stared at their intertwined hands.

"We." She corrected, caressing the younger girl's fingers with equal fervor. " _We_ can fix this."

It was foreign, what she had just said. Uncertainty. Doubt. Fear. Those were her chains. What she knew best. Hope, that was the last thing that she would have expected to find herself in. The last thing she would have believed in.

But Anna smiled brightly at her words, and that was enough for Elsa to know that she had said the right thing...

Believed in the right person.

"Together?"

"Together."


End file.
